Fake handbag seller at Ingoldmells market ordered to pay over £3.5k and do unpaid work
Mohammed Asif was handed a 12-month community order with 150 hours unpaid work after pleading guilty to selling the fake goods at Eastgate Market.
He was also ordered to pay a total of £3,563.77 in costs at Boston Magistrates’ Court which will be paid at £100 per month.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThis case concerned the discovery of 96 purses and handbags and an additional 86 badges, used to attach to plain items, at the market in September, 2017. The counterfeit items included Versace and Ted Baker purses and Michael Kors handbags.
Witness statements were provided from a range of trade mark holders confirming that the goods seized as part of ‘Op Big Ben’ were indeed counterfeit.
Asif stated that he had bought the business, at stall 186/187, following a recommendation from a friend. He could not recall the name of the previous owner, nor was he able to provide any paperwork to support the transfer of the business from the previous owner.
He claimed to have paid £8,000-9,000 for the business which included almost 900 bags remaining on the stall.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAsif said he had only met the vendor once and paid for the business in cash. He said he did not conduct any form of stocktake upon taking ownership and began trading from Easter 2016 selling ladies bags, handbags, purses and trollies.
Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and disposal at the direction of Lincolnshire Trading Standards of all items seized.