Trading standards
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Développement en droit 15 juillet 2024 15 juillet 2024
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Royaume-Uni et Europe
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Regulatory risk
Trading standards update
| Date | Court | Sentence | Incident type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 April | York Crown Court | Sentenced to 12 months imprisonment under the Fraud Act 2006 and Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and will serve half. | The defendant used Facebook Marketplace to exploit people looking to refurnish their homes during the COVID-19 lockdowns. He conned customers out of £14,544 for high-quality furnishings, which were either non-existent or not supplied, or completely unfit for purpose. In the majority of cases the furniture ordered never arrived, and if it did, it was in poor condition and not fit for use or not as described. Some customers were blocked on Facebook Messenger after payment had been made, to deter any further contact. |
| 1 May | Chester Crown Court |
Two years imprisonment, suspended for two years. Disqualified from being a company director for 10 years. 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. Disqualified from being a company director for eight years. 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. Disqualified from being a company director for seven years. |
The defendant builders left properties in danger. Victims were targeted with misleading and dishonest sales tactics, charged for work that was never carried out, and often met with threatening responses when they asked for a refund. Victims were conned out of a combined total of £710,216. The defendants pleaded guilty to charges under the Fraud Act 2006. |
| 1 May | Newport Magistrates Court |
16 weeks for all offences concurrent Eight week suspended sentence for all offences concurrent. |
The defendants were sentenced for unlicensed dog breeding, Animal Welfare Act 2006 offences and failing to indicate in adverts that puppies were being advertised by a dog breeder contrary to The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. One defendant was also sentenced for further animal offences. |
| 7 May | Inner London Crown Court | Six week prison sentence suspended for 15 months. Must also pay fines and costs totalling £4,750. |
The defendant sold dangerous skin lighteners via eBay. He had used multiple eBay accounts to sell over 20,000 cosmetic products to UK customers. The combined sales value was some £340,000. The defendant said he imported most of the products from Ghana, Nigeria and Thailand to his home address. Investigators purchased seven test products. Analysis showed five of the items bought contained either hydroquinone or corticosteroids. One product contained both but did not list them as ingredients. These dangerous substances are prohibited in cosmetic products. The defendant pleaded guilty to selling the illegal cosmetics. |
| 7 May | Snaresbrook Crown Court |
14 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months concurrent for each indictment. Fined £2,000. 24 months community order (80 hours of unpaid work included). |
The defendants traded fraudulently through their business and scammed victims out of over £24,000. They pleaded guilty to Fraudulent Trading. Numerous complaints were linked to two comapnies for duping prospective tenants, landlords and existing tenants. Victims had rent deposits collected and never returned, holding funds stolen and – in the case of landlords – collected rents not being transferred into their accounts. |
| 10 June | Oxford Magistrates’ Court | £800 for each of the five instances of illegal street trading. | The defendant street trader was fined for illegally food out of a van. He was caught selling out of a layby five times. |
| 18 June | Nottingham Crown Court |
Seven years imprisonment and 10 year directorship ban. One year and eight months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. Six year directorship ban. |
The defendant and his associates conned elderly and vulnerable residents out of £1.5million for renewable energy and home safety products. He repeatedly mis sold victims products including solar panels and emergency medical buttons through his businesses. At trial more than 200 victims gave evidence. The defendant was found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation along with charges of fraudulent trading. The defendant’s associate pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading. |
Fin