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Selling Doctor Who fakes = £34,000 fine and jail |
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You may have noticed that we have no ‘fake Doctor Who toys section here.’ This is because we deal only in fact and I do not wish to be seen to promote in any way (even under the guise of warning people about them) the dangerous things that are fake Doctor Who toys. Sometimes it might be funny to see how ridiculous they are but many are not going through enough safety checks, they could seriously harm a child through chemicals or electrical faults and often the proceeds can go to fund more serious crime.
One man who made a living out of selling fake toys, many Doctor Who ones, has recently had his comeuppance however. Malik Aftab Hussain, who traded at the annual Neath Fair, has been jailed for 10 Months and ordered to pay an eye-watering £34,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
When he appeared before Neath magistrates last year, 33-year-old Hussain, of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to 29 offences contravening the Trade Marks Act 1994 and the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The case was transferred to Swansea Crown Court because magistrates felt they had insufficient sentencing powers.
Trading standards officers on patrol at the 2007 Neath Fair became suspicious of the Doctor Who and other toys Hussain was selling when they noticed spelling mistakes and incorrect labels on the packaging. These mistakes are often giveaway signs of fake Doctor Who toys and if you see any do not buy them but inform the authorities as soon as possible.
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