A PRESTON man has been fined £420 after pleading guilty to six charges contravening the Trade Mark Act.

Mohammed Kazi, of Fletcher Road, Deepdale, appeared before Ormskirk Magistrates last Thursday.

Magistrates heard how Kazi was seen at a car boot sale in Rufford, West Lancashire, last July, standing behind a stall displaying counterfeit designer clothing.

When he was asked by a Trading Standard officer if the gear was genuine, Kazi answered 'yes'.

Officers then seized 334 items of clothing, with a street value of £2,000. They were later confirmed to be fakes.

The clothing included counterfeit Morgan vest tops, Adidas t-shirts, Calvin Klein underwear and Tommy Hilfiger sports gear.

Kazi told the court that he had bought the goods from Leicester for £1,500, but that it was the first time he had tried to sell counterfeit clothing.

However, Magistrates heard how he had been convicted for a similar offence in Scarborough in November 1997.

Kazi was fined £70 for each of the six offences, ordered to pay £78 costs and the clothing was confiscated.

Trading Standards principal officer Nicholas McNamara said: "This sort of practice won't be tolerated.

"People who engage in this sort of practice could face hefty fines and the forfeit of property, or even imprisonment."

A trial date for another man, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, will be set on March 4.

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