Mark Cropp is so happy in his new career, he has made the decision to stop having the massive tattoo removed (Picture: Caters News)

A teenager who claimed nobody would hire him because he had a massive tattoo inked on his face while in prison, has now got a job.

As what? As a chicken chaser, that’s what.

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And Mark Cropp, 19, is so happy in his new career, he has made the decision to stop having the massive tattoo removed because ‘the chickens don’t care how he looks’.

Meaning his DEVAST8 tattoo, now just says DEVAST.


The teenager hit the headlines last month, where he announced he had had started laser treatment to remove the marking – which covers his cheeks, mouth and chin.

The marking covers his cheeks, mouth and chin (Picture: Caters News)

Mark’s girlfriend, Taneia Ruki, said: ‘Mark has a job now, and that’s all he wanted’ (Picture: Caters)

The dad-of-one, from Auckland, New Zealand, spent nearly nine hours being inked with the tattoo by his brother in his cell while serving a two-year sentence for aggravated robbery.



And after undergoing his first laser removal session last month, Mark has now decided not to have any further treatments.

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Mark’s girlfriend, Taneia Ruki, 24, said: ‘Mark has a job now, and that’s all he wanted.

‘He doesn’t want to go through with the laser removal now because he has a job and it only requires catching chickens.

‘He said “the chickens don’t care about my face – they don’t care whether I have a tattoo or not”.

‘The laser clinic said we could put it on hold until he felt more comfortable with getting it removed but he was just happy to have a job.

‘He is really pleased to be employed, we are finally getting somewhere. I’ve got used to the tattoo now so I don’t mind if he keeps it.’

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He is required to catch the chickens and put them into ‘modules’ (Picture: Getty)

Mark served two years and three months in prison aged 17, after he threatened a tourist with a knife during a cannabis deal which went wrong.

His brother, who was also his prison cellmate, inked him using a homemade needle made from a straightened spring and an ink made of burnt plastic, toothpaste and water.

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Mark said at the time he was drunk on home brew made from fermented apples, bread and sugar.

He claims he woke up to discover the tattoo – which his brother had promised would only be small and down the side of his jaw – covered most of his face.

And after appearing in headlines last month, he was initially inundated with job offers.

But the teenager claims that most turned out not to be genuine or appropriate.

He signed a contract with his new employers last Tuesday and worked his first shift on Friday – travelling to different farms across New Zealand’s North Island.

He is required to catch the chickens and put them into ‘modules’ before they are taken to slaughter for fast food chains like KFC and McDonald’s.

Working 12 to 14 hours a day, Mark is paid $16 NZD (£9) an hour for his labour.

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Taneia added: ‘Mark didn’t take one of the offers which came from the publicity, he went out and did his own thing and got his own job.



‘Our landlord told us there were people looking for work and he followed it up every day.

‘He knew the job was the only way to get us back on our feet so he is happy doing anything.

‘You can see the effects of the first laser session on one side of his face but he didn’t want to go through the pain of it healing again.’

Briar from Sacred Laser confirmed Mark had put his laser removal sessions with them on hold.