Ben Larry died on May 6 last year after contracting a serious infection following tattoo work in a garden shed, an inquest heard.

In a case widely reported, Ben Larry, from Middlebank Road, Ormesby, North Yorkshire, passed away on May 6 last year. An inquest at Teesside Coroner's Court into the 32-year-old's death revealed that Ben's leg became infected following the tattoo procedure.

Assistant coroner Paul Appleton delivered a conclusion that Ben's death was due to multi-organ failure resulting from an infection in his right leg. He said:

"This infection was secondary to tattoo work that Benjamin had done to his right leg on 1 May 2023. That tattoo work was performed at unregistered premises."

It was previously reported that a 35-year-old man was arrested in relation to the incident; however, the case was subsequently dropped because of "evidential difficulties", according to a Cleveland Police spokesperson.

It is reported that they added:

"Following a police investigation, it was decided that due to evidential difficulties, there would be no prosecution with regards to the death of a 32-year-old man."

Although the criminal proceedings came to a halt, Middlesbrough Council proceeded with a civil action against the tattooist, Tony James Learmount. In January, at Teesside Magistrates' Court, he was convicted for operating out of a garden shed that was not registered for tattooing activities, reports Teesside Live.

Prosecutor Thomas Durance revealed that on May 9, last year, public protection officers from Middlesbrough Council were alerted by Cleveland Police following the death of a man due to sepsis. Mr Durance informed the court:

"The infection had originally developed around the area of a new tattoo. Cleveland Police investigated and this led to confirmation of the tattooist being Mr Tony James Learmount of Donington Green, Middlesbrough. The same location where the tattoo had taken place."