Stallholder ordered to pay £100k+ after prosecution by Kent CC legal team

A market stallholder who sold counterfeit goods has been ordered to pay more than £100,000 under a confiscation order, following a prosecution by Kent County Council’s legal team.

Hardip Singh, 44 from Ilford, Essex, was caught selling fake clothing at Sheerness Market in December 2010 by Kent Trading Standards. A total of 169 items of clothing were found to breach registered trade marks and copyright.

Singh was summonsed on a total of eight offences and he pleaded guilty at Maidstone Magistrates court in 2011. After Kent decided to pursued confiscation proceedings, the case was transferred to Maidstone Crown Court.

Singh’s lawyers initially argued that £4,500 was an appropriate sum for confiscation, raising this to £50,000 after negotiation.

However, Kent rejected this sum. The parties eventually agreed on £100,000, which was approved by the court at a hearing on 25 October.

Singh was also fined £520 for the eight offences and ordered to pay £12,832 in costs and £15 by way of a victim surcharge.

The defendant had previously been convicted for selling counterfeit goods in Worthing. Kent had also warned him on two previous occasions prior to him being caught at Sheerness Market.

Singh will have to pay the confiscation order with four months. If he fails to do so, he faces two years’ imprisonment. The defendant also has four months in which to pay the costs and fines. A failure to pay those sums will lead to an additional 18 days’ imprisonment.

Cllr Mike Hill, Kent's Cabinet member for customer and communities, said: “I am very pleased with this result and see it as a testament to the commitment of Kent Trading Standards to support legitimate businesses."