Woman whose ‘prison-style’ face tattoos prevent her getting a job reveals what she used to look like

A mom who is “addicted” to tattoos and claims her “prison-like” inks are getting in the way of her getting a job has shared a throwback photo of what she looked like before her dramatic transformation.

Melissa Sloan, 45, from Powys, South Wales, got her first ink when she was 20 years old and has since covered most of her body in hundreds of tattoos.

The mother of seven has even started replacing her old tattoos with new designs and says her boyfriend inks her at home most days.

Speaking with the MirrorMelissa – whose face is covered in rose and heart inks – revealed that she also gets her own tattoos to keep her expenses in check.

While a crucifix ink would cost her £70 in a salon, the mother claims it costs just £10 to do at home.

Melissa shared a photo of what her face looked like before covering it up with tattoos.

Melissa got her first tattoo 25 years ago and started covering her face when she ran out of space on her body

Melissa explained how she gets an ‘adrenaline rush’ from each design, saying, ‘I get a kick out of it, and I feel brilliant, then in a few days it goes away and I do it again.

“People call me Crazy Melissa, but I feel just like Melissa – that’s who I am. If they don’t like it, they don’t have to look at me – I don’t pay attention. There are some judgmental people, they judge you whatever. People stare at me, you get used to it.’

In an interview with the Daily star earlier this year, Melissa claimed her tattoos are getting in the way of a job.

She said: ‘I applied for a job as a cleaning lady where I live and they don’t want me because of my tattoos.

Melissa (pictured) covered her body with tattoos to erase memories of sexual abuse from the age of six

Melissa said she is ‘glad’ that Gavin is now behind bars, but angry that her own claims were not properly investigated at the time

“But if someone offered me a job tomorrow, I’d go to work – I’d take that offer. I expected this in life, I can’t fit in with people the way I like to be myself and I will always be myself.’

In May, the mother revealed that her tattoos were a way to cope with the sexual abuse she had endured as a child at the hands of her older brother.

Gavin Sloan, 46, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for a series of nauseating rapes and assaults on other children earlier this year.

“My tattoos help me cover the emotional scars Gavin left behind,” Melissa said.

“They are my mask and I hide from the world behind them. But now that he’s finally in prison, I can start to feel free.”

Melissa claims that her complaint was not taken seriously by the police and that he was never charged for the alleged violations against her.

Melissa’s half-brother Gavin Sloan, 46, (pictured) was jailed in May 2022 for a series of sickening rapes and assaults on other children

Melissa, who was abused by her brother until she was 16, claims that her complaints were not taken seriously by the police. Pictured: Melissa and Gavin as children

She was shocked to read a news story about Gavin’s recent conviction for child sex crimes involving other children.

Melissa said: ‘I’m glad he’s finally behind bars, but I’m also angry that my own complaint was not properly investigated at the time.

“I have suffered the abuse all my life. My whole body is covered in tattoos and it’s my way of coping with trauma from my childhood abuse. I try to erase the memories by covering myself with tattoos.’

Melissa and Gavin grew up in Kidderminster with their mother, Doris, and two other siblings.

She said, “Gavin and I have the same mother but different fathers, but we were raised as brother and sister. As toddlers, we shared a bath together, just like siblings.

“But when I was six, and he was seven, Gavin touched me downstairs in the tub. I told my mom but we were both little kids and she just waved it off. She didn’t really believe me.

“But it went on and it got worse when I was in my teens. Gavin and I shared a bedroom, and he took every chance he could to touch me, and he tried to get me to have sex with him. He drilled a small hole in the bathroom door to spy on me.

“I grew up thinking it was normal. He said it was okay because he was my half brother. I tried to fight back against him, but he was stronger and very aggressive towards me.

“He called me sexual names and made inappropriate comments. I saw him kill birds and small animals and I was very afraid of him.’