A Shefford counterfeit trader whose fake clothes, footwear and handbags were caught on camera by the BBC show Fake Britain has been left more than £2,000 out of pocket.
Wayne Gutteridge, of River View in Shefford, was given the hefty bill and a two-month community order and curfew after a garage full of his dodgy wares was uncovered in December 2014 by Central Beds Council trading standards officers, accompanied by a Fake Britain TV crew.
The 23-year-old had been advertising Ralph Lauren and Lacoste polo shirts for sale on Facebook for just £9 each. He claimed to have bought his goods on the market, not realising they were illegal to sell.
Gutteridge admitted three offences when he appeared at Luton Magistrates’ Court on February 18.
The court issued a destruction order for the counterfeit items, and ordered Gutteridge to pay £2,000 towards the prosecution costs in addition to a £60 victim surcharge.
His two-month community order includes a curfew between 6pm and 6am, except Fridays.
Councillor Brian Spurr, who is responsible for community services at the council, said: “This is an excellent result for the trading standards team.
“Counterfeit goods are often poor quality and, depending on the item, can be potentially dangerous to consumers. Selling them also undermines legitimate businesses and the local economy.
“It may be tempting to try and make some quick cash by selling counterfeit goods but it’s against the law and, as this case shows, it can end up costing you a lot of money.”
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