Four counterfeiters were sentenced by Barrow Magistrates Court today following a crackdown by Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards Officers on Furness based counterfeiting. Although not all linked to each other, the defendants were all involved in copying or selling counterfeit DVDs, CDs or computer games.
Irene Woodall of Barton Street, Barrow-in-Furness, pleaded guilty to nine charges and was sentenced to an 18 months community rehabilitation order and ordered to pay £400 towards prosecution costs. She admitted copying and selling DVDs, CDs and computer games and distributing weekly lists of available titles.
Sandra Kitchen, daughter of Woodall, pleaded guilty to distributing counterfeit DVDs and was given a 120 hour community punishment order and ordered to pay £100 towards prosecution costs.
Gary James Kennedy and Stephen Lee Banks, both of Barrow-in-Furness, pleaded guilty to charges of selling and exposing for sale counterfeit DVDs at Flookburgh Car Boot sale on Easter Sunday. Both defendants were ordered to complete 120 hours community punishment and to contribute £250 towards prosecution costs.
Husband and wife team, John and Susan Lupton of Dalton, pleaded guilty to a total 48 charges. They admitted copying DVDs and CDs on their home computer and selling them at the Friars Hotel Car Boot Sale in Barrow-in-Furness. Their cases were adjourned to 13 July for sentencing.
All the offences occurred in April 2004, and were brought under the Trade Marks Act 1994.
Phil Ashcroft, Head of Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards Department, said;
“Counterfeiting is not a victimless crime, it undermines genuine businesses and the film, music and software industries. Theses cases today were part of a wider clampdown in Cumbria on counterfeiters and those still involved in counterfeiting should be warned that we will remain vigilant”.