Trader sold fake DVDs and Ugg boots over the internet

By Geoff Bennett G.Bennett

AN INTERNET trader from Patchway who sold fake goods has been given a suspended jail term.

Russell Painter offered items on auction site eBay to supplement his income, Bristol Crown Court heard.

After a customer in West Yorkshire complained he had bought a counterfeit DVD box set of TV show The Sopranos, South Gloucestershire Trading Standards investigated and found Painter in possession of nine fake DVD box sets as well as a copy pair of Ugg boots.

Painter, 27, of Falcon Drive, pleaded guilty to selling goods bearing a sign identical to a registered trademark, and seven charges of possessing goods or packaging likely to be mistaken for a registered trademark.

Imposing a six-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, the recorder Mr Richard Onslow told Painter: "Selling these fake items causes economic loss to the people who have the genuine right to make proper money from their genuine possession or the right to manufacture them.

"It causes people a great deal of stress and annoyance, such as the man buying The Sopranos DVD box set for his wife's birthday, who checked them first and found they were plainly not what they should be."

The recorder ordered Painter to do 175 hours' unpaid work and sanctioned the forfeiture of his fake goods.

Alan Fuller, prosecuting, said following the customer complaint against Painter, further inquiries were made with eBay which revealed he had been trading on the site since March 2008, selling DVDs and Ugg footwear.

Trading standards officers found his counterfeit stock and Painter conceded he had been trading since March 2008, having bought DVD box sets on the internet from £25 to £35 and selling them on eBay for £60 to £80.

If you need Ugg Boots then visit http://ugg-boots-online.co.uk, you will find lots of information on cheap ugg boots, ugg boots sale and ugg boots UK. 

Mr Fuller told the court: "He said he believed the goods were genuine but he took no steps to verify their authenticity."

The court heard Painter received negative feedback from sales but took no action and carried on trading.

It was calculated that between April 2008 and September 2009 his sideline led to turnover of £20,000.

Mr Fuller said: "The prosecution does not accept the goods were sold in the belief they were genuine. Some customers were refunded. He was still selling when the search warrant was issued on him in September 2009.

"He now accepts that once complaints came in he realised but continued selling."