A debt-ridden 29-year-old man tried to sell fake designer goods to make some money for Christmas.
Paul Donegan was sentenced to a 12-month community order after police officers seized more than 60 items of jewellery, clothing and cosmetics when they attended at a bar in Todmorden last December.
At Bradford Crown Court last week Donegan, of Keswick Close, Todmorden, admitted three charges of possessing goods with false trademarks for sale.
Prosecutor Ken Green said the goods included fake Pandora jewellery and Paul’s Boutique hoodies and bags which would have been worth hundreds of pounds each if they had been the real products.
When police interviewed Donegan about the items, he said he had spent about £500 buying them off eBay.
“He said he didn’t think they were fake, but he got them at a good price,” said Mr Green.
Mr Green explained that, under the trademarks for the items, Donegan would need to have the permission of the producers to sell the goods.
Barrister Jeremy Lindsay, for Donegan, said he was a hard-working man who had no previous convictions.
Mr Lindsay said his client had debts totalling £40,000 and did not even have the money to apply to declare himself bankrupt.
He said Donegan had taken a chance out of stupidity to try and make some money to spend at Christmas for his family.
Recorder Duncan Smith told Donegan he had not only lost his stock and the money spent on it, but more importantly his good name.
“You have traded your good character and your good name for a few hundred pounds,” said the judge.
“You won’t get that back...that’s gone for all time.”
Under the terms of the 12-month community order, Donegan will have to do 150 hours of unpaid work for the community.
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