Oldbury clothes con couple told to pay out £57k
A couple who ran a £1 million fake designer clothes racket from their home, have been ordered to pay back more than £57,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Hayley and Keith Horton, from Oldbury, each benefited by £187,512.26 from their criminal activity which saw them sell fake designer clothes and also buy cheap outfits from the Cannock-based Newlife charity and selling them for a huge profit.
At the proceeds of crime hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday, Judge Michael Dudley ordered Hayley Horton to pay back £57,263.5 in six months or risk facing an 18 month jail term, whilst her husband was ordered to pay £130.44 within 28 days or face five days in prison.
The amounts were worked out on their individual assets and the couple's home was in Hayley Horton's name.
Back in March 2012, Mrs Horton, now aged 41, who was the brains behind the outfit, was jailed for 27 months for her part in the scheme, and her now former husband, aged 47, was jailed for 21 months.
The pair had pleaded guilty to seven charges of possessing counterfeit material, one of selling counterfeit material and five of money laundering. The pair of Harborne Road had funded a luxury lifestyle with money they made from their business which was called Wags Classy Rags.
The majority of dresses were imported from China and sold on auction site ebay from the couple's Oldbury home. Some, which were seized by police and Trading Standards, were bought from Cannock-based charity Newlife and had new labels sewn inside.
It is estimated they raked in sales via ebay alone of £224,761.42 for Karen Millen fakes, £14,271.29 on fake Ugg goods, £13,570 on bogus Coast clothes and £8,263.17 from illicit French Connection items from 2008 up until 2010.
Trading Standards officers stormed the couple's home in July 2010, whilst Mrs Horton was soaking up the Mediterranean sunshine at their two-bedroom apartment in Estepona on the southern coast of Spain.
