Darwin’s Lelei Ink owner Leah Kathleen Tilini to pay out $250 in legal fees over Pine Creek man’s lion tattoo

A tattoo artist has cut down a payout to an angry former client by more than 90 per cent after a review of his $2750 compensation claim.

A disgruntled tattoo client left with a sore nipple and a half finished lion on his chest has lost 90 per cent of his compensation payout following a tribunal review.

Franky Berto took Lelei Ink owner Leah Kathleen Tilini to the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal last year after claiming she botched his ink job in 2022.

In a March decision, NTCAT senior member Andrew Macrides awarded the Pine Creek man $2750 — however since the tattoo artist did not provide a response or appear before the tribunal all of Mr Berto’s claims were uncontested.

In April, Ms Tilini filed a stay of proceedings asking for the hearing to be reopened.

In the second hearing Mr Berto doubled his original compensation claim, asking for $4001 for the cost of fixing and finishing the tattoo, court fees, bailiff fees, travel expenses and $1000 for the “unnecessary ordeal”.

However, on review of the case NTCAT member Robert Perry dropped the disgruntled customer’s total payment to just $251.

Mr Berto alleged that during a two-hour tattoo session in July 2022, Ms Tilini was “continuously” interrupted by phone calls while her child was running around the studio.

The tribunal heard Mr Berto was concerned about an hour-long delay to the process as “he had to attend a wedding that afternoon”, and Ms Tilini was only able to complete the outline of the lion tattoo.

Before and after shots of Franky Berto's tattoo as done by Lelei Ink's Leah Tilini and as fixed by another artists. Picture: Supplied

Ms Tilini asked him to return on another day to finish the work, with attempts by both the client and the artist to confirm a second date for the tattoo to be completed.

When that did not occur, Mr Berto found another tattooist to complete the work.

Mr Perry heard Mr Berto asked for a refund and Ms Tilini apologised and offered a partial refund.

“(This was) on the basis the majority of the work had been done and the shading work would not take long,” Mr Perry said.

It took 21 months for Ms Tilini to make the refund payment of $800, half the price of the $1600 tattoo.

But Mr Perry said based on evidence not presented in the earlier hearing about Ms Tilini’s “confidential and sensitive matters”, this delayed payment was “understandable and reasonable in the circumstances”.

Before and after shots of Franky Berto's tattoo as done by Lelei Ink's Leah Tilini and as fixed by another artists. Picture: Supplied

Mr Perry also dismissed Mr Berto’s claims the tattoo he had designed himself had been drastically changed by Ms Tilini.

“The evidence before me suggests the final product is in line with what the applicant (Mr Berto) had sought,” he said.

Mr Perry also rejected Mr Berto’s claims he was distressed by the tattooing of his nipple, as there was no complaint about it before, during or after the session.

Mr Perry awarded Mr Berto $251 for his court fees — less than 10 per cent of his initial compensation payout.

The tribunal judge rejected the Pine Creek man’s compensation claims for stress or physical injury, travel costs, the laser treatment consultation, and the tattoo session with a different artist.