Teenager's Tattoo Tears Family Apart And Lands Dad In Court

A teenager's dad is being taken to court after he granted his daughter permission to get a dreamcatcher tattoo on her ankle.

Casey Victory was 16-and-a-half when dad, Brad Victory, agreed to let her get some ink. However, Casey's mum was less than impressed.

"She said, 'I really want a tattoo, I want to put the past behind me.'

I've got tattoos, so I can't really be a hypocrite."

Under New South Wales law, minors - i.e. under the age of 18 - must have written permission from a parent or guardian to get tattooed, so Brad did just this for Casey's Christmas present.

Then he received a court summons.

This came after Casey's mum, Nadene Rae Rees, took legal action and pressed charges against her ex of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Casey, who got the dreamcatcher to symbolise her hopes and dreams, said: "He's the best dad I could ever ask for.

"He does everything for me, teaches me how to do stuff. I can go to him about anything; when I need help, he's always there for me."

When it comes to her mum however, she added: "I haven't spoken to mum in 3 years."

Her dad added: "I didn't think [Nadene] needed to know, because she doesn't have anything to do with Casey."

Sam Macedone, a lawyer, told A Current Affair: "This is not common at all in a criminal court. This is a matter between ex-husband, ex-wife.

"To have a criminal prosecution, where one parent gives consent to his daughter to get a tattoo - which is quite legal - then I don't understand what this is all about.

"There are other ways of dealing with this matter.

"But having this man charged with wounding his daughter or assaulting her is, in my mind, ridiculous."

At his first court appearance, which was at Picton Local Court, on Wednesday (16 September), an earlier charge of GBH was dropped, but the ABH charge is still being fought.