Community Service For Counterfeit Trader

28 March 2011, 15:39 | Updated: 28 March 2011, 15:53

A car boot trader was given 140 hours community service and a suspended jail sentence at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court on Friday after he was caught selling counterfeit computer games and jewellery.

Jason Cox, 38, of Harvey Road, Bedford, had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to 11 offences under The Trade Marks Act 1994.

Magistrates sentenced Mr Cox to eight weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months, with an order to complete 140 hours’ unpaid work and attend supervision for 12 months all to run concurrent.

All counterfeit goods were forfeited and the court ordered full costs of £1,947.70 be paid to Milton Keynes Council.

At an earlier hearing, magistrates had heard that in August 2009, an undercover trading standards officer managed to purchase counterfeit Nintendo DS games from a stall run by Jason Cox at Milton Keynes Bowl car boot sale and market.

Subsequently a raid was carried out on the market stall and Jason Cox was arrested. 

A search of the stall uncovered more Nintendo DS games along with a quantity of branded jewellery in the names of Pandora, Links of London & Tiffany & Co which were also found to be counterfeit.

Head of trading standards for Milton Keynes Council, Karen Ford, said:  “We take a zero tolerance against sellers of counterfeit goods operating in Milton Keynes. 

“If you do choose to sell counterfeit goods then you run the risk of being arrested and court proceedings taken against you.  This could mean that you could end up with a custodial sentence or a heavy fine and a further investigation carried out under The Proceeds of Crime Act.”

If you think that a trader is not complying with the law or you have a problem with something you have paid for, please call trading standards on 08454 04 05 06 or you can report the sale of counterfeit goods anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.