Pervert Ashley Lilleyman carried out sex attacks on women during prearranged appointments between January 2022 and July last year and was jailed to six years and four months
A predatory tattoo artist who sexually assaulted more than a dozen of his female clients has been jailed.
Pervert Ashley Lilleyman, 30, carried out sex attacks on the women as he tattooed them during sessions at the shop where he worked, or at home. Eight women bravely stepped forward to say they were assaulted multiple times.
They said the attacks happened during prearranged appointments between January 2022 and July last year. A court heard Lilleyman started the tattoos before groping his victims – either at the tattoo parlour in Mansfield, Notts., or at his home studio. One woman who came in for a stomach tattoo changed her mind mid-session because of his behaviour and asked that it be inked on her arm instead in a bid to stop his unwanted advances.
Lilleyman’s extensive crimes started to come to light after one of his victims told a family member what had happened to her who then called police. His former employers immediately sacked him while an investigation was launched by detectives.
Seven more women shared their experiences of abuse at the hands of the tattooist, over a two-and-a-half year period. Body-cam footage captured Lilleyman being arrested outside his place of work where he pleads ignorance and asks: “What’s happening pal?”
When told he is being arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, he replies: “You’re joking.” Lilleyman, of Chesterfield, Derbys., pleaded guilty to 14 separate counts of sexual assault.
Today he was jailed for six years and four months at Nottingham Crown Court. He was also told that, due to him being a “dangerous offender”, he will serve three years on extended licence when he’s released.
Lilleyman was additionally made subject of a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order preventing him from contacting any of his victims for ten years. Detective Constable Mary Taylor, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We’d like to firstly express our sincere gratitude to all the women who made the brave decision to share what happened to them.
“Thanks to each of them finding the courage to come forward, and his former employers’ assistance throughout our investigation, we were able to expose Lilleyman’s vile crimes. Seemingly without any care for the trauma he was causing, he repeatedly abused his position to assault his clients while they were in a vulnerable position – all for his own sexual gratification.
“As many as eight women have come forward after they were targeted by Lilleyman – some of them more than once. We hope each of them takes some small amount of solace in the knowledge he didn’t escape justice and will serve time in prison.
“We hope this sentencing shows other survivors of sexual abuse that we, as a police force, will listen to you if you tell us about your experiences and will take action, to ensure those responsible face the consequences for their actions.”