Unemployed dad with face tattoo rejects 45 job offers since going viral with desperate work plea

A teenage father with ‘DEVAST8’ tattooed across his face is ‘waiting for the right job offer’ after his desperate plea for work went viral – and he has revealed he will be getting the jailhouse ink lasered off. 

Mark Cropp, 19, from New Zealand, took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to beg someone to look past his criminal convictions and heavily-tattooed face and give him a chance at work.

Within hours he had been inundated with job offers and said he had ‘stopped counting when he reached 45’. 

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Mark 'Devast8' Cropp (pictured) had his nickname 'DEVAST8' tattooed across his face in jail

Mark ‘Devast8’ Cropp (pictured) has revealed that he has turned down 45 job offers since his story went viral

The 19-year-old (pictured) had taken to social media in frustration that his face tattoos were preventing him from finding work

The 19-year-old (pictured) had taken to social media in frustration that his face tattoos were preventing him from finding work

But he told Daily Mail Australia he still hadn’t ‘done a day’s work’.

‘I am just waiting for the right one to come about,’ he said.

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Some of the jobs required him to have his own car – he clarified – but he will need help getting to the work site.

‘Until I get my first paycheck and get a car I won’t be able to get myself around,’ he said.

The former criminal revealed he will be getting the artwork – designed by his brother after a night of drinking home brew in jail – removed as soon as possible.

Cropp's partner,  Taneia Ruki, told Daily Mail Australia Cropp has accepted a fulltime scaffolding job 

‘A week before I got out I taped a picture of my face to the inside of an envelope so my partner could see it – she was devastated – but now she likes it and can’t see me without it,’ Cropp (pictured, right) said

Man with DEVAST8 tattoo speaks about trying to get a job

‘I am just working out a date to get it taken off – which sucks because it is going to hurt,’ he said. 

‘And because, you know, this tattoo means something to me and my brother did it for me so it is hard to make the decision to get rid of it.

‘But I know it is the best thing for my future – and I want to be a person my family can look to for support.’

The artwork was designed to make him ‘look tough’ when he landed in jail following a long string of violent behaviour.

This image shows Cropp (pictured) before the face tattoo which made him go viral on social media

This image shows Cropp (pictured) before the face tattoo which made him go viral on social media

The teenage father grabbed global headlines after he turned to social media to complain that his face tattoo was a stain on his job prospects

‘And because, you know, this tattoo means something to me and my brother did it for me so it is hard to make the decision to get rid of it,’ he said

Mark and girlfriend Taneia Ruki got together a year before he was sent to prison 

Mark and girlfriend Taneia Ruki got together a year before he was sent to prison 

It was meant to be a ‘little one along the jawline,’ but the pair got carried away after drinking home brew made from fermented apples, sugar and bread.  

‘I went into jail with four tattoos and I came out with a full body suit,’ he said.

But the face tattoo was the biggest shock to his family.

‘A week before I got out I taped a picture of my face to the inside of an envelope so my partner could see it – she was devastated – but now she likes it and can’t see me without it.’ 

DEVAST8 happens to be the 19-year-old’s nickname.

Mark Cropp (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he is still waiting for the right job to come along
The viral social media sensation has other tattoos also, but plans to get the face ink lasered off

Mark Cropp (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he is still waiting for the right job to come along

Cropp (pictured) says the face tattoo was supposed to be small but he and his brother got carried away after drinking homebrew

Cropp (pictured) says the face tattoo was supposed to be small but he and his brother got carried away after drinking homebrew

‘I was going through a rough patch’: Teen with DEVAST8 jail tattoo

‘I would end up devastating everyone I met or got close to. 

‘They would be disappointed with something I had done or said – I was always hearing “that’s devastating”,’ he said.

But he hopes the devastating chapters of his life are over – erased along with the ink on his face.

‘I have learnt from my mistake,’ he said.

‘I still don’t think people should be judged by the tattoos on their face – but I know it will keep happening unless I do something about it.’ 

Before his final desperate plea on Facebook the teenager said people had ‘laughed in (his) face’ when he had asked for work.  

The tattoo was drawn with a homemade gun which used a needle made from the spring of a pen and powered by a cassette player.

Plastic knives and forks are burnt to a black plastic powder and mixed with toothpaste and water to create the ink.

The teenager has been out of jail for two weeks. 

Mark has also been offered laser therapy to remove the tattoo and will have his first session on Tuesday (pictured right with partner) 

Mark has also been offered laser therapy to remove the tattoo and will have his first session on Tuesday (pictured right with partner) 

The New Zealander (pictured) has been out of jail for two weeks and says he has learnt from his mistake

The New Zealander (pictured) has been out of jail for two weeks and says he has learnt from his mistake

Pierce Brosnan’s estranged stepson has astonished fans with his appearance in uncommon photos after reports surfaced that the Hollywood star had cut ties with him.

Recent photos of Pierce Brosnan’s stepson have sparked a wave of internet comments, many of which are worried about his appearance and label it as “sad.” Take a look at the pictures that started this discussion.

The stepson of well-known actor Pierce Brosnan, Christopher Brosnan, has had a turbulent life. Pierce tried to help him after his mother passed away, but in the end, he had to make the difficult choice to break off contact with Christopher.

Pierce Brosnan at the 18th Annual Oscar Wilde Awards on March 7, 2024, in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Getty Images

Twenty years later, brand-new street images of the actor’s stepson have emerged, sparking a range of responses on social media. View the arresting pictures that sparked debate on the famous star’s stepson.

Pierce’s Difficult Family Situation
Loved by many in Hollywood, Pierce Brosnan is known for his endearing roles, especially as the dapper spy James Bond. But beyond the glamour of Hollywood, he has had serious personal difficulties, especially with relation to his family.

Pierce Brosnan courtside on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 13, 2024, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

His first wife, Cassandra Harris, had a significant influence on the dynamics of his family. She had two children from her former marriage to British producer Dermot Harris, Charlotte and Christopher, when they got married in 1980. Later, in 1984, the couple welcomed Sean Brosnan into the world. Pierce adopted both of Cassandra’s children following the death of her first husband in 1986, forming a devoted blended family.

Cassandra’s death from ovarian cancer in 1991 was a tragedy that left the entire family in deep mourning. Pierce had to juggle his acting job and parenting their kids as a bereaved father.

Pierce Brosnan courtside on day thirteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 13, 2024, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

The actor said, “I don’t look at the cup as half full, believe me,” following the passing of his spouse. Pierce’s sad memories were resurrected in 2013 when his daughter Charlotte lost her fight with the same cancer.

“On June 28 at 2 p.m., my darling daughter Charlotte Emily passed on to eternal life, having succumbed to ovarian cancer,” he said, expressing his unreserved anguish during this difficult time.

Pierce Brosnan and Cassandra Harris at the 10th Annual People's Choice Awards afterparty on March 15, 1984, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Pierce reconnected with love after experiencing excruciating heartbreak, wed Keely Shaye Smith in 2001. Keely rose from fame as a television personality to prominence as a documentarian and environmental campaigner. Their family grew when they welcomed Dylan and Paris, their two kids.

Pierce understood the difficulties of parenting sons and accepted his responsibility as a father. “I have experience raising sons, and it can be a really difficult journey. My instincts as a father are entirely personal,” he said. Regretfully, one of his boys would grow apart from him.

Pierce Brosnan, Cassandra Harris, Charlotte Brosnan, and Christopher Brosnan at the "Cats" opening night on January 11, 1985, in Century City, California. | Source: Getty Images

The Journey and Difficulties of Christopher, the Estranged Son
The Brosnan family became closer as they grieved Cassandra together. You simply feel things deeper today. Pierce observed, “You love and hug more deeply.”

He spent a lot of time with his sons, hosting swimming parties and beach vacations. He understood, nevertheless, that their sorrow would not go away quickly.


Pierce learned of his children’s emotional difficulties as the family dealt with their loss. He let them see his emotions, telling them that even though he was alone, everything will work out in the end.

“I can see the pain in Christopher’s eyes, the absence in his heart for his mother,” the man said. Christopher once made an attempt to emulate his stepfather by going to UCLA to take a screenplay course and pursuing a career in cinema. He even made contributions to a few of Pierce’s movies, including as “Tomorrow Never Dies” and “GoldenEye.” But despite his early promise, Christopher battled addiction, which forced the actor to break things off with him.

Pierce Brosnan and his son Dylan Brosnan at the Sunset Marquis Hotel and Rock Against Trafficking Grammy Afterparty on February 8, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

Pierce has been open about how addiction has affected his family, especially with regard to his stepson. He pointed out that since drinking claimed the lives of both Charlotte and Christopher’s biological father, addiction frequently appears to have inherited origins.

Charlotte finally recovered, but Christopher’s journey was far more difficult. Pierce said that Christopher was “still very lost,” expressing his profound concern for his stepson’s difficulties. Remarkably so.

Pierce Brosnan with his sons Paris Brosnan and Dylan Brosnan at the premiere of "Love Is All You Need" on April 25, 2013, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

When Pierce made the decision to cut ties with Christopher, things became very serious. It hurts because you become withdrawn. I have to cut Christopher off, but you never really cut them off. I had to give the order “Go.” “Either get busy dying, or get busy living,” he said.

Pierce acknowledged that the choice was difficult, but that Christopher’s continuous struggle with addiction made it inevitable. “I love Christopher and just want him well and healthy, despite his waywardness and addiction,” he said. Pierce’s affection for his stepson was evident despite their distance from one another.

Pierce Brosnan, Christopher Brosnan, and Sean Brosnan at the "Mrs. Doubtfire" premiere on November 22, 1993, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Pierce said, “My love forever to you dear sons, Paris, Dylan, Sean, and Christopher, thank you deeply for your love on this Father’s Day,” in 2022, despite their tense relationship. Pierce also mentioned Christopher. Pierce’s public statement demonstrated that despite obstacles, he remained concerned for Christopher.

Internet Users React to This View of Christopher
When Christopher was discovered in 2019, there was conjecture regarding his living situation following years of separation. He returned to the public eye in June 2024, and his appearance generated much discussion on social media about how he looked after such a lengthy period of anonymity.

Christopher, Charlotte, and Pierce Brosnan at the premiere of "Love Affair" on October 13, 1994, in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

One person commented, “Wow, sad!” “He looks older than his father,” remarked someone else. Drugs, regrettably, have that effect on people. Other others expressed similar opinions, saying things like “He doesn’t look well” and “Son looks so much older than his dad.” Not at all.

Even though Pierce Brosnan’s choice to keep his distance from Christopher was clearly tough, the actor still has hope for his stepson’s healing and tranquility. The “GoldenEye” actor said that Christopher is on his mind and that he is hopeful that he will get through this difficult phase of his life.

Christopher Brosnan, Pierce Brosnan's mother May Smith, Pierce Brosnan,  Keely Shaye Smith, and Charlotte Brosnan at the "GoldenEye" premiere party on November 13, 1995, in New York. | Source: Getty Images
Christopher Brosnan, Charlotte Brosnan, May Smith, Pierce Brosnan, and Sean Brosnan at "The Matador" after-show party on February 21, 2006, in London, England. | Source: Getty Images

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