Halesowen couple who sold fake goods spared prison
A couple who turned their family home into a shop selling thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit clothes, jewellery and cosmetics have narrowly escaped an immediate prison sentence.
Wayne Hinton, aged 40, and Samantha Blizzard, 34, filled their three-bedroom house in Halesowen with £75,000 worth of fake designer items, and then sold them in a makeshift display room.
The pair, who run Mollies Baguette Bar in Oldbury, were caught by trading standards officers after returning from a re-stocking shopping trip.
Among the 738 counterfeit items seized at the house in Astley Crescent were fake Adidas tracksuits, Superdry jackets, UGG and Hunter boots, Pandora bracelets, Monster headphones and GHD hair straighteners.
The pair appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court for sentencing after each pleaded guilty to 15 counts of possession of goods with false trademarks for sale or hire and 15 counts of offering and exposing for sale goods bearing a false trademark.
Mr Mark Jackson, prosecuting, said the couple were first drawn to the attention of Dudley Council's trading standards following a number of complaints in July 2011.
After receiving intelligence the couple were to refill their stock on December 1 of the same year, a team of officers swooped on their address. They also found £1,410 in cash and notebooks listing customers.
Mr Jackson said: "A middle room of the property had been set up as a mini-shop – goods were being displayed around the room on shelves and table tops."
Miss Geraldine Toal, defending Hinton, told how the couple had faced financial pressure after taking over the baguette bar.
Mr Andrew Berry, defending Blizzard, said: "They were trying to make what money they could from the items.
"Clearly they accept there was some profit made, but it was at a low level."
Judge Robin Onions said the pair both deserved immediate prison sentences, but because of the potential suffering for their three children and business he gave them each a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. The pair were also told to each do 250 hours' unpaid work.
They could face financial punishment when they appear for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act later this year.
