| Leopard Man | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tom Leppard Woodbridge, Suffolk |
| Other names | Leopard Man of Skye |
| Known for | formerly the world's most tattooed man |
Tom Leppard (born 1934 or 1935, Woodbridge, Suffolk [1]), more widely known as Leopard Man or the Leopard Man of Skye, was formerly considered by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the world's most tattooed man.[2] Leppard fled society years ago after spending £5,500 to have his body covered in leopard-like spots. He lived in a small cabin on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Once every week, the ex-soldier travelled by kayak to buy supplies and pick up his pension.
An interview with Leppard exploring both his past and his current lifestyle is in Henry Hemming's 'In Search of the English Eccentric', published in June 2008.
If he went back to civilization, he said he would be plagued by "interfering busybodies" and kids throwing stones at his window.
However, in 2008 he moved into a terraced house on Broadford, Skye after a friend offered to move him by boat. Mr. Leppard (now in his seventies) no longer wished to journey by kayak across the Kyle of Lochalsh as he was only “one big wave away from disaster”.[3]