A BEAUTY salon owner from Widnes has been fined after selling more than £10,000 worth of fake designer goods after pleading guilty to seven offences.
A Halton Council spokesman said that Lynne Roberts-Tsimbilakis, 56, of Derby Road appeared on Wednesday, April, 27, at Warrington Magistrates Court.
The spokesman said that the defendant admitted selling counterfeit designer gear which had an estimated value of £11,336 from the Luxor Tanning Salon, which Halton Borough Council Trading Standards officers visited after receiving intelligence
They found 69 counterfeit goods, the spokesman said, including Louis Vuitton and Chanel sunglasses, Mulberry handbags and clothing from brands such as The North Face and Ralph Lauren.
She was fined a total of £1,157 for the offences – which included six counts of possessing goods with a false trademark for sale and one count of selling goods likely to be mistaken for a registered trademark – and the seized items were subject of a forfeiture order.
The spokesman added that the court had heard the sunglasses, cosmetics and perfume ‘could have posed a danger to public health and safety of the consumer’.
Simon Dunn acted for the defendant and the council spokesman said he told magistrates that Roberts-Tsimbilakis had accepted she committed a criminal offence, despite at the time being unaware that she was doing anything wrong.
Mr Dunn stated that no items were actually sold as she had only gained them shortly before they were seized and Roberts-Tsimbilakis was apologetic and understood there has been a loss to the brand holder.
The council spokesman added that Mr Dunn said the defendant is a carer for her 72-year-old husband who is in poor health and also her 82-year-old mother, and is ‘very embarrassed’ by the case.
After the case, a Halton Trading Standards spokesman said: “Individuals involved in the sale of counterfeit goods should be aware they are committing criminal offences and if caught and prosecuted they will end up with a criminal record which can have further repercussions later in life.
“They are also at risk of having their vehicles, computer equipment, mobile phones and cash seized if they are caught with a quantity of counterfeit or illicit goods.
“We take the safety of Halton residents very seriously and counterfeit goods very often prove to be pose a threat to human health, as they are not quality tested to ensure their safety and very often contain harmful ingredients, including methanol in alcoholic drinks and sewage water in cosmetics.
“As such we would urge any member of the public who is aware of counterfeit or illicit goods being sold to contact, anonymously if they wish, the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506.”
