Suspended sentences for counterfeit clothing sellers

Two Wolverhampton men have received suspended prison sentences for the sale and possession of counterfeit clothing at Chirk Car Boot Sale, Wrexham.

At Mold Crown Court on 12 October 2009 Mohammed Haq, 44, of Bruford Road, Wolverhampton and Adil Haq, 33, of Goldthorn Road, Wolverhampton were each sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 2 years, and were ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid community work. At an earlier hearing they had pleaded guilty to twenty three specimen charges brought by Wrexham County Borough Council under the Trade Marks Act 1994.

Trading Standards Officers made test purchases of counterfeit clothing from the defendants’ stall at Chirk Car Boot Sale in June 2008. The following week officers returned to their stall and seized over 600 items labelled with well known brand names such as Nike, Adidas, Henri Lloyd and Fred Perry. Over 500 of the seized items were found to be counterfeit. It is estimated that the value of the seized items was over £6,500. If the goods had been genuine their value would have been much higher.

As well as imposing the suspended sentences and community punishment on the defendants, the Court ordered that their finances should be investigated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Cllr David Bithell, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for the Environment and Transport said “Anyone dealing in counterfeit goods should be aware they face severe punishment and loss of assets if they are caught. Financial investigations go back six years and defendants may lose any of their assets including their home, car or cash acquired as the result of criminal activity. Tackling the sale of counterfeit goods is one of the priorities for the Council’s Trading Standards Officers. The Judge in this case commented that it was important that legitimate traders should be protected from people who deal in counterfeit goods”.