Supplier of fake Apple accessories is sentenced

A Northwich tech company director who sold counterfeit Apple accessories online has received a two-year suspended sentence, 250 hours of unpaid work and his company has been fined a total of £113,000.

Cheshire West and Chester Trading Standards prosecuted Andrew Peter Twigg (36) of Twigg Tech Limited, 34 Manor Drive, Barnton, Northwich and his company Twigg Tech Limited, after an undercover test purchase was made by investigators in relation to the sale of counterfeit Apple accessories sold online by the defendant.

Mr Twigg and the company appeared for sentence, having previously pleaded guilty to the trademark and safety offences.

Between October 2015 and October 2018, the company had a turnover in excess of £960,000. The declared taxable profit over that three-year period was over £108,000. The prosecution case was that a significant proportion of items sold by the company were counterfeit, with unauthorised Apple logos on them.

During a search of the defendant’s home carried out carried out by police and trading standards in April 2019, 5147 items were seized of which just under 95% (4,876) were found to be counterfeit.

The defendant’s computers were forensically analysed by trading standards and found to contain text messages which showed the defendant had an awareness of trademark and safety issues.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “Counterfeiting is an illegal activity which affects the livelihoods of legitimate, hardworking businesses. I would ask Cheshire West residents to seriously think twice about supporting this kind of activity.

“Buying counterfeit goods on-line may appear to be an attractive and cheap alternative but they are, by their very nature, inferior products and are often unsafe.

“We will take action against anyone found selling counterfeit products in our borough.”

A proceeds of crime hearing will also take place regarding this case in the future.