AN Elvis Presley impersonator was jailed today after giving a teenage girl a tattoo in exchange for sex.

Married tattoo artist and part-time Elvis tribute act Adrian Edwards, 57, from Newport had sex with the girl in the piercing room of his studio and then gave her a free inking.

The teenage victim had begged Edwards for the ink when she was aged just 16 or 17 telling him: "I'll do anything".

Edwards, who also takes to the stage as an Elvis tribute act, had sex with the girl a string of times in his tattoo studio in Caerphilly and handed her cash afterwards.

The girl, now in her 20s, said: "I asked him for a tattoo. I told him I wouldn't tell anyone because I was under-age.

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"I told him I would do anything for a tattoo. I didn't mean like that."

Although the girl was over the age of consent it is illegal to pay anyone under the age of 18 for sex.

She broke down in tears when she told the court she had sex with Edwards in his piercing room before having her first tattoo.

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

Edwards was found guilty of two counts of paying a child under 18 for sex and not guilty of one count.

Prosecutor James Wilson said: "He took her into the piercing room, locked the doors and started to touch her.

"He bent her over the piercing bed and put his penis inside her. Afterwards he laughed and asked her what tattoo she wanted."

Edwards had intercourse and oral sex with the girl on a string of times at his parlour and would hand her cash to buy alcohol and hair extensions.

Mr Wilson said Edwards continued paying the victim for sex after she turned 18-years-old.

Edwards, who appears in an Elvis jumpsuit and GI outfit on social media before appearing on stage at a Presley fans festival, described their relationship as "completely clinical".

He described himself having a "high sex drive" and admitted to using prostitutes in the past.

The defendant told police he was "disgusted with himself" but didn't see what he was doing was wrong as "it was like a prostitute".

Edwards added: "It was two birds with one stone, passion and helping her out with money."

The judge, Recorder Dyfed Llion Thomas, told Edwards: "You took advantage of that child and a child she was even at the age of 16 or 17.

"You used her for your own selfish sexual gratification."

He added: "You treated her like a sex worker."

Edwards was jailed for 28 months and handed a 10 year restraining order banning him from contacting his victim at Cardiff Crown Court.