Frightened tattooist flees city

Alleged threats prompt flight, work left undone

ID 133104 JILL McKEE

Unfinished work: Invercargill woman Karen Underhay with her unfinished tattoos.

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A "scared" Invercargill tattooist has fled overseas with his family and left behind a string of clients with half-finished tattoos.

Buzzworks Tattooing owner Clayton Malone said he had no option but to leave the city because he feared for his family's safety.

Speaking from a secret location in Australia this week, Mr Malone said his family had been threatened by certain people because he refused to do things they wanted. He wouldn't give details but said drugs and gangs were not involved.

"It's just people but it's still threatening and it's still not cool. I feel stink for leaving town but I had to get out or something was going to go down."

He had left behind "six or seven" clients with unfinished tattoos and had walked out on his shop's Spey St lease agreement several months before it was scheduled to terminate.

When asked if he also owed money around town, he said he didn't.

One city man said Mr Malone had been tattooing him and three mates and still owed them about $1000 of work.

They were "pissed off" he had left town and three of them now had to pay someone else to finish the tattoos, he said.

Another client, Karen Underhay, said she had paid Mr Malone $400 for two tattoos on her arm, one still requiring detailed work and colouring. Leaving town in such circumstances gave people a bad reputation, she said.

Mr Malone said he had been in business in Invercargill for nearly eight years, was an honourable man and totally bummed out he had left some of his clients in the lurch.

He had a good business but had walked away from his lease, his vehicle and life in Invercargill with his fiance and young daughter because he was scared, he said.

"I never wanted it to be like this. I would like to think that one day I could finish off that work but my family's safety comes first."

Senior Sergeant Richard McPhail, of Invercargill, said police were unaware of Mr Malone's situation but would investigate if he lodged a complaint.

Chris Murphy, part owner of the Spey St building Mr Malone was working from, said Mr Malone had handed in his keys and done a runner about a fortnight ago. Several months still remained on his lease agreement, she said.evan.harding@stl.co.nz