Shotton ‘rogue trader’ fined thousands after being caught selling fake super hero costumes

A Shotton based ‘rogue trader’ has been slapped with a fine of nearly £11,000 after he was caught selling counterfeit super hero costumes. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire County Council Trading Standards took Ashley Colin Turner of Chester Road, Huntington, Chester to court where he pleaded guilty to 7 charges of supplying and possessing counterfeit goods under the Trade Marks Act 1994. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Early last year Flintshire 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’s 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 £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 £1,125 and ordered to pay investigation costs of £2,211 and compensation of £7,236.22 to Rubies, he was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £200 making a total of £10,772.22. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Public Protection, Councillor Chris Bithell, said: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is a very good result after a thorough investigation by Flintshire’s 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.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Mike O’Connell, Global Head of Anti-Piracy at Rubie’s Masquerade Co. (UK) Ltd, said: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“This is another fantastic result for the team at Rubie’s in our fight against counterfeit products and those who sell them. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

We would like to express our thanks to all of the officers at Flintshire Trading Standards for their support and assistance from the outset of this operation. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Successful prosecutions such as this, demonstrate how rogue traders are being combatted as a result of close collaboration between Rubie’s and law enforcement. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Together we are fighting back against the persistent threat of counterfeit costumes and toys. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Our global team works extensively on detecting and removing counterfeit products, across all trading platforms and in store.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

If anyone suspects they purchased counterfeit goods or anyone is selling them they should report it to Trading Standards on 03454 040506. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

[Imagine ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Latest News