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Shop owner had
fake goods for sale
A SHOPKEEPER who had
counterfeit goods with leading brand names for sale in his city
centre shop has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Zhen Jiang Chen, aged 27, of Verwood Drive, Croxteth Park, pleaded
guilty to 14 Trade Mark Act offences at Liverpool Crown Court and
was sentenced to four months imprisonment suspended for 12 months
and ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to
pay £2,680 costs.
The court heard that Trading Standards Officers visited MooMoo a
small shop in the Grand Central Station Complex in September last
year. Counterfeit goods were clearly on display and a large amount
of fake Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry, Chanel, Cartier
and Hermes jewellery, bags, scarves and accessories, were seized
with an estimated genuine street value of more than £83,000.
Mr Chen said he had taken over the business when the previous owner
had returned to China owing him a lot of wages. She had told him to
take over the shop and stock in lieu of payment.
He said that he did not know that the goods were fake so he had
continued to sell them. He added that he bought the "Chanel"
jewellery and some "Cartier" and "Hermes" jewellery
from a man who came to the shop and had paid £400 cash without a
receipt and been given 120 pieces. They had been selling for £48
each with the "Vivienne Westwood" bags for £60 each and the
scarves for between £10 and £20. It was estimated that he stood to
make £11,500 profit from the sale of the goods.
In sentencing, Mr Recorder A.P. Long said legitimate traders suffer
as well as brand holders and a clear message must be sent out that
offences of this sort carry a prison sentence.
Councillor Tim Moore, Liverpool City Council cabinet member, said:-
"The trade in counterfeit goods undermines legitimate
retailers and threatens the economic regeneration of the city and it
is well known that the money generated from this type of activity
can fund organised crime. This sentence has sent out a strong
message that counterfeiting is not tolerated in Liverpool."
RACIAL ABUSE -
WATERLOO
MERSEYSIDE Police are
appealing for witnesses and information following an incident during
which a man was racially abused. At about 10.15pm on Sunday, 9
September 2012, the victim was with a friend at the Shell service
station in Cremona Corner, Waterloo when a man shouted racial abuse
at him. The offender is described as being white, about 24
years old, 6ft tall with a stocky build and light brown hair. He was
wearing long shorts, white trainers and a light coloured T-shirt. It
is thought that he was with another man described as being white,
5ft 7in tall with a stocky build and light brown hair. Anyone
with information is asked to contact officers on:- 0151 777 3020 or
call Crimestoppers on:- 0800 555 111.
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Heart health
more important than ever
ON World Heart Day, local
Euro MP Brian Simpson joined other members of the European
Parliament's MEP Heart Group to raise awareness about the importance
of heart health.
Commonly known as CVD (cardiovascular disease), diseases of the
heart and circulatory system are currently the leading cause of
death in Europe, claiming 5,000 lives each day.
Mr Simpson said:- "Heart related mortality has been declining
over the past 30 years but CVD remains the top killer, and we're
likely to see a rise in CVD deaths in the future."
Recent projections indicate that without intervention, risk factors
including tobacco, alcohol, poor diet, physical inactivity, obesity
and diabetes; as well as the ageing of the population; will lead
to an increase in cases of CVD across Europe over the next 15 years.
Mr Simpson said:- "The sad fact is, if the UK continues down
its current path, 3.2 million people will be dead because of heart
disease by 2030. And the even sadder fact is that up to 80% of
premature CVD deaths could be prevented through risk management and
intervention policies. Future deaths by CVD are not inevitable and
at this time heart health really is more important than ever."
Brian Simpson MEP is encouraging people to take action against heart
disease by following the World Heart Foundation's four main tips:-
Get Active, Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet, Say 'No' to Tobacco,
and Know Your Numbers when it comes to portion sizes and salt
intake.
Mr Simpson said:- "Small changes can make a huge difference when it comes to
heart health. 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week can lower your
risk of stroke and heart disease, as can avoiding smoking and second
hand smoke. Swapping sweets for fruit and watching your salt intake
can also help improve heart health. By understanding the risks, we can all help prevent the
future impact of heart disease and make heart-healthy choices from
childhood and throughout adulthood.
But it is also up to policymakers to work to fight this disease.
Each year, CVD causes thousands of premature deaths in the UK, where
spending on healthcare and non-healthcare related costs generated by
cardiovascular disease has reached 21 billion yearly. Clearly,
tackling CVD should be a top priority in all areas of relevant
legislation"
MEPs will soon be revising laws on tobacco products, which Brian
Simpson and his European Labour Party colleagues view as a key
opportunity for addressing tobacco-related CVD. "The MEP Heart Group is working to reduce the impact of CVD in
Europe, and one obvious way we can do this is by pushing for
non-branded tobacco packaging featuring strong health warnings and
pictures demonstrating the life-threatening damage that smoking can
cause." Do you
smoke? Are you a non-smoker? Let us know your views by
emailing our newsroom:-
news24@southportreporter.com. |
