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A Caerphilly tattooist illegally gave a 16-year-old girl a free inking and cash in exchange for having sex in his parlour, Newport Crown Court has heard.

Elvis Presley impersonator Adrian Edwards, 57, allegedly had sex in his piercing room after the young girl – underage for a tattoo – pleaded with him to give her an inking.

The sex took place at the his tattoo parlour, the now closed Studio One, on Piccadilly Square, after the girl “pestered” him for a tattoo – and told him: “I’ll do anything”.

Newport Crown Court heard Edwards later had intercourse and oral sex with the girl a number of times.

The girl told the court the sex happened before she was 18 years old and that it “never should have happened.”

She said: “I asked him for a tattoo. I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone because I was under-age.

“I told him I would do anything for a tattoo. I didn’t mean like that.”

She tearfully told the court that she had sex with Edwards in his piercing room before having her first tattoo.

She said she went on to have sex with Edwards many more times and he would often give her money after.

Julia Cox, defending, suggested the girl was over the age of 18 when she first had sex with Edwards.

She replied: “No I was a lot younger than 18.”

Ms Cox asked her if she was exaggerating the details of the sex because she regretted what happened.

The girl replied: “No, I wouldn’t say exaggerate because that’s a very strong word and it’s not the truth.”

Asked if she regretted it, she replied: “It never should have happened.”

The court heard Edwards paid the victim for sex – and she used the cash to buy alcohol and hair extensions and Edwards continued paying the victim for sex after she turned 18-years-old.

But the jury were told only to consider alleged crimes before her 18th birthday when she was too young to accept payment for sex.

The court heard she contacted the police in 2019 and was interviewed about her allegations.

Edwards, of Newport, claimed the girl asked him for money on a number of occasions before they had sex, and he had given £100.

Edwards denies three offences of paying for sexual services of a girl aged 16 and 17.

The trial continues.