KRISTINE Vainere from Sycamore Close, Tilbury appeared at Basildon Magistrates court on Monday 21 August 2017, charged with four (4) offences of selling counterfeit goods contrary to Section 92 of the Trademarks Act 1994. She pleaded guilty to all matters and was sentenced to a community order for 12 months with a requirement to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work. A Forfeiture and Destruction Order was imposed for all fake goods seized.
The case was brought by TM Eye as a private criminal prosecution on behalf of it’s clients.
The case follows a covert pro active operation by TM Eye’s Online Investigation Team investigating the sale of fake leather goods on GUMTREE. Undercover detectives attended her home address and purchased fake goods from VAINERE on 3 May 2017, 5 June 2017 and 30 June 2017. Each test purchase was covertly recorded and the evidence supported the prosecution and conviction.
TM Eye Director David McKelvey said: ”VAINERE operated an on-line criminal enterprise selling fake goods form a wide variety of luxury brands. Our online team gathered intelligence and through covert test purchases evidence of criminality. Our undercover team then carried out visits to her home address to collect the fake goods and filmed her selling the fake items.
“TM Eye will robustly protect it’s clients intellectual property rights and those who sell fake goods that impact upon those clients brands will be prosecuted in the criminal courts”.
