Re: MS – West Yorkshire Trading Standards.
Our client was being investigated by West Yorkshire Trading Standards for importing and selling counterfeit computer chips. We made representation's to the trading standards agency that our client had been completely unaware of the offending chips and could show that our client has exercised all due care, diligence, and caution. On further investigation, we discovered that our client was being defrauded by one of his employees, who was ordering the cheaper counterfeit products and then pocketing the difference! After consideration of our representations no further action was taken against our client.
Re: M - Trading Standards.
Our client was being investigated for importing inadequate/faulty power supplies. We conducted some preliminary work for our client and provided the appropriate evidence stating that the power supply units were safe who, on review no further action against our client was taken.
YTS v. W - Leeds Crown Court.
Our clients had been investigated and prosecuted by the City of York Trading Standards Department concerning allegations of counterfeiting. It had been alleged that our client had imported more than 120,000 individual items that were alleged to be counterfeit. On this occasion, the prosecution alleged that the potential loss of revenue to the license holders was more than £8 million.
Our clients had always disputed the fact that they had infringed any trademarks or copyright legislation and that they had all the relevant licenses to supply goods to the UK. On further investigation, we were able to show that the prosecution had raided our client's bins in a disused section of their warehouse where old stock and stock of dubious origin was kept for disposal and destruction. The prosecution tried to allege that the stock was for sale to UK customers.
The matters went to a full trial, and after the judge had heard the prosecution's evidence, an application for no case was made. It was accepted by the judge that there was no case to answer. Not guilty verdicts were returned for all of our clients.
We have undertaken many cases of self-employed traders who have been prosecuted by the Local Authority or their Trading Standards Department for trademark, trading, business and copyright offenses.
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