Liverpool man jailed for selling counterfeit, unsafe products

A Liverpool man has been jailed as part of an investigation into the supply of fake and unsafe toys.

Suppliers to North Yorkshire amusement arcades have been sentenced after pleading guilty to selling and having in possession for distribution more than 240,000 counterfeit children’s products.

Martin Ivor Miller, of Liverpool, and Neel Parmer of Briar Road, Watford also pleaded guilty at York Crown Court to two offences relating to fake Fingerlings monkeys which contained excess quantities of two phthalates – chemicals used to make plastics more durable

North Yorkshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service brought the prosecution after one of its officers found the items in two amusement arcades during the summer of 2019.

The visits to the amusement arcades took place as part of a project to check the goods and services being sold to tourists and visitors to the county’s seaside towns.

Further enquiries revealed that the products had been supplied by Top Notch Goods Ltd of Liverpool.

Miller was the director of Top Notch Goods Ltd. He traded over a number of years with Parmer, a director of Euro Bijoux Ltd, who sourced items directly from China to Miller’s specifications.

Goods seized from the Liverpool warehouse of Top Notch Goods Ltd included toy figures, bracelets, cushions, wrist bands, key fobs, playing cards, erasers and wallets.

The brands which had been counterfeited included Fortnite, Peppa Pig, Pikachu, Minions, Barbie, Minecraft and the Creeper.

His Honour Judge Norris sentenced Miller to seven months imprisonment and Parmer to eight months imprisonment.

A timetable was set for confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act and an Order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the goods.

County Cllr Andrew Lee, executive member for trading standards, said: “It is disappointing to think that visitors to the county might have won fake and unsafe items during their family holiday or day trip.

“It is particularly worrying to see that the toy monkeys contained harmful phthalates at a level banned in law.

“I am pleased our officer was able to identify these products and take action to remove them from supply.”