Designer T-shirt scam just wouldn't wash

9:23pm Monday 30th July 2007

A GRAPHICS designer who produced counterfeit T-shirts has escaped a jail sentence.

Andrew Charlesworth, of Cayenne Park, Wood Hall Park, north Swindon, admitted making and selling T-shirts bearing the Football Association three lions emblem and Playboy's rabbit head logo at Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court heard that the 21-year-old, who was trading under the name Vinyl Graphics, set up his online company from his parents' home in April 2006.

He first came to Trading Standards attention at a car boot sale in May last year.

Philip Worth, prosecuting, said that Trading Standards officer Russell Sharland approached a stall where two young women were selling T-shirts, and they included ones bearing the FA's three lions logo.

"He purchased one of the T-shirts for £6 and noticed a business card for the defendant's Vinyl Graphics business inside the packing," he said.

"The T-shirt was sent off to the trademark owners and was confirmed as counterfeit."

In June 2006, officers contacted Charlesworth through his website and ordered five more T-shirts, with the three lions on.

They paid £56 cash for them.

In July 2006, the same officer made contact again and ordered five t-shirts, this time with the Playboy bunny logo, costing £40.

On September 13, police carried out a search of Charlesworth's address and seized goods, software and a computer.

He was arrested and later told officers that he had got the logos from a CD he had bought off eBay, which contained 45,000 images.

Defending, Philip Hall said that this was not the type of case that appeared before the court every week.

"Proprietors of registered trademarks view their unauthorised use very seriously and spend great amounts of money to protect them," he said.

"The fact that this is just a CPS prosecution shows that we are looking at the very bottom of the league in the level of offences."

Mr Hall said his client had been looking at moving in with his girlfriend and wanted to raise some extra money.

"He got the software and thought he could apply the designs to T-shirts and try to make some money out of it," he said.

"He only sold one T-shirt at the car boot and it was just his luck that it was to a trading standards officer. It was a fledgling operation.

"I doubt he will ever do anything like it again."

Charlesworth was given a 12 -month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,750 costs.

Magistrates also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of goods and the software CD.