October 27 2009

CITY COUNCIL CRACKDOWN ON ROGUE TRADERS

Newport City Council Trading Standards is on a mission to stop rogue traders of all descriptions breaking the law.

The three key areas being addressed are: stopping deceitful doorstep traders preying on consumers at their homes; preventing unscrupulous shops selling alcohol and cigarettes to children; and tackling trade in counterfeit goods.

Three traders were prosecuted by Newport City Council Trading Standards on 20 October 2009 at Abergavenny Magistrates Court:

Robert Dixon trading as R D Landscapes.

Dixon carried out an unsolicited call to the home of an elderly consumer in Bettws offering to carry out gardening work. It was alleged misleading claims were made about the insurance status of the business and the consumer was denied their statutory rights to a seven day cooling-off period as Dixon had failed to provide a cancellation notice. Officers also investigated whether Dixon had a commercial waste carriers’ license.

Dixon was brought before the court to answer charges under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the Fraud Act 2006, the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Cancellation of Contracts Made In a Consumers Home or Place of Work Regulations 2008, for making false statements that he was fully insured, carrying unlicensed trade waste and the failure to provide cancellation rights.

Dixon pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a £600 fine and £200 prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £15.

Craig Michael Sheady

Sheady was arrested in Newport on 15 December 2008 for selling counterfeit clothing from the boot of a car. Sheady was prosecuted under the Trade Marks Act 1994 for offences of having counterfeit clothes in his possession with the view of selling them on. The clothes were: four Lyle and Scott jumpers; four Dolce and Gabbana jumpers; five Adidas tracksuits; two pairs of Dolce and Gabbana jeans and five pairs of Nike trainers. The genuine retail value of these items and the potential loss to law abiding retailers was in excess of £1000.

Sheady pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a £500 fine and £100 prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £15.

Waheed Akthar

The proprietor of Cromwell Road Stores pleaded guilty to the sale of cigarettes by his store to a 14-year-old child, an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. The incident occurred in February 2009. Akthar pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a £480 fine and £400 prosecution costs, with a victim surcharge of £15.

Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety Councillor David Fouweather said: “Trading Standards Officers are continuing to clamp down on rogue traders. The council takes a tough line on those who deliberately set out to mislead consumers, deny them their rights, or risk the health and safety of children.

“I would urge the people of Newport to contact Trading Standards if they know of anyone who is cold-calling consumers and denying them their rights or misleading them with false claims or mysterious pricing; if they are aware of individuals or businesses making illegal profits from selling fake goods; or if they know of shops deliberately selling alcohol, cigarettes or fireworks to underage consumers.”

Members of the public can make a complaint to Trading Standards through the Consumer Direct service by calling 08454 040506.