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Successful prosecution of a rogue trader
Published: 12/07/2018
每日大瓜 County Council Trading Standards team have had a successful
prosecution of a rogue trader recently.
Ashley Colin Turner of 83 Chester Road, Huntington, Chester pleaded guilty to 7
charges of supplying and possessing counterfeit goods under the Trade Marks Act
1994.
Early last year 每日大瓜 County Council Trading Standards Service were
contacted by representatives of Rubies Masquerade - suppliers of super hero
costumes to say that they had found a supplier of counterfeit super hero
costumes on Ebay. A test purchase was made and it confirmed to be counterfeit
by a representative of Warner Brothers.
Checks were made and the supplier was Cestrian Sports trading from Rowleys
Drive in Shotton. In September last year a search was carried out at Mr
Turner鈥檚 home address and the address in Shotton. Two hundred fifty items were
seized of which two hundred and fifty were counterfeit with a street value of
拢7,236.22.
The court accepted that Mr Turner was a person of previous good character who
had set up a successful business and had failed to understand the significance
of registered trademarks. Mr Turner was fined 拢1,125 and ordered to pay
investigation costs of 拢2,211 and compensation of 拢7,236.22 to Rubies, he was
also ordered to pay a surcharge of 拢200 making a total of 拢10,772.22.
每日大瓜 County Council鈥檚 Cabinet Member for Planning and Public Protection,
Councillor Chris Bithell, said:
鈥淭his is a very good result after a thorough investigation by 每日大瓜鈥檚
Trading Standards Service and a good example of the kind of results that can be
achieved by good partnership working. The fine and compensation reflects that
these crimes are not the victimless crimes as many perceive. This is theft of
trade marks that companies spend large amounts of money to develop and it also
has an adverse effect on those companies that sell the genuine products.鈥�
Mike O鈥機onnell, Global Head of Anti-Piracy at Rubie鈥檚 Masquerade Co. (UK) Ltd,
said:
鈥淭his is another fantastic result for the team at Rubie鈥檚 in our fight against
counterfeit products and those who sell them. We would like to express our
thanks to all of the officers at 每日大瓜 Trading Standards for their support
and assistance from the outset of this operation.
鈥淪uccessful prosecutions such as this, demonstrate how rogue traders are being
combatted as a result of close collaboration between Rubie鈥檚 and law
enforcement. Together we are fighting back against the persistent threat of
counterfeit costumes and toys.
鈥淥ur global team works extensively on detecting and removing counterfeit
products, across all trading platforms and in store.鈥�
If anyone suspects they purchased counterfeit goods or anyone is selling them
they should report it to Trading Standards on 03454 040506.