A WOMAN was caught selling counterfeit clothing and shoes through an Aberystwyth Facebook group.

Magistrates heard that Kirsty Marie Barker of Lynwood, Main Street, Llanon, was expecting to make over £1,200 profit.

Baker admitted 10 charges of offering goods for sale with a fake trademark, nine offences of possession of goods with a fake trademark and one charge of obstructing a Ceredigion County Council officer during an investigation.

Prosecutor Maggie Hughes, representing the council, said Barker, 31, had been selling the counterfeit items on Aberystwyth Swap Shop on Facebook, offering a range of clothing and footwear with fake trademarks for Ugg, Adidas, Nike, North Face, Gucci and Boss.

The council’s trading standards department launched an investigation and all of the companies involved provided statements saying that the unauthorised use of their trademarks could cost them money and lead to a loss of reputation if the quality of items was poor.

Ms Hughes said Barker had listed around 70 items on the Facebook site. In one comment on the site she confirmed that the goods were fake, saying: “originals are more money.”

When council officers tried to execute a search warrant at her then home in Bethania, Barker initially refused to let them in, saying that only police officers could execute a search warrant.

She tried to close the door, but a council officer managed to get his foot in the door to stop it from closing.

Barker was annoyed, but she was calmed down by a man at the property and let the council officers enter.

Inside the fake clothing and footwear was found, along with a book which contained a list of items and an estimate of how much profit could be made by selling the goods, which was just over £1,200.

Barker refused to allow a council officer to take the book, but did eventually allow pages to be ripped out.

Her defence solicitor, Alison Mathias, said the sale of the fake goods was “not by any means a sophisticated operation” and that it had taken place over a short period of time.

Ms Mathias added: “The people involved knew what they were getting.”

She said that Barker had not benefitted financially from the sale of the goods, but had got some clothes herself. She said there had been another person involved who had been the driving force behind it.

Barker had not realised how serious the offence was, Ms Mathias said. She added: “Ms Barker did not appreciate what she was getting into and didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation.”

Barker was given a 12-month conditional discharge with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. She was also made subject to a curfew for three months between 7.30pm and 7.30am.

Magistrates also imposed costs totalling £835 and made a forfeiture and destruction order for the counterfeit items.

Kirsty Marie Williams: Apology

In this article in our Aberystwyth print edition and e-edition of 24 April 2017, the photograph used mistakenly depicted Kirsty Marie Williams who had nothing whatsoever to do with the offences. We apologise to Kirsty Marie Williams for our error and fully acknowledge that she was in no way connected with the case.