BLUNSDON Market trader Joseph McGeough has been fined for selling counterfeit goods after ignoring several warnings to check his stock for fakes.

Swindon trading standards officer Russell Sharland visited McGeough's clothes stall in May, August and November last year warning him to be vigilant for fake gear.

But town magistrates heard that when test buys from McGeough's stall were made last December the goods were found to be big brand copies.

McGeough, 53, of Gloucester, pleaded guilty to nine charges contrary to the Trade Descriptions Act and eight charges contrary to the Trade Marks Act.

Fining him £1,700 and ordering him to pay £1,032 costs, chairman of the bench James Scott told McGeough: "These are serious offences, the kind constantly in the press and on television."

McGeough declined to comment as he left court.

Prosecuting, Phillip Wirth said trading standards officers bought a total of £20 worth of fake clothes from the stall, comprising of Pokemon pyjamas, Pokemon boxer shorts and South Park boxer shorts.

Mr Wirth said the stall was found to be offering fake goods including Winnie The Pooh pyjamas, Pickachoo pyjamas, Pokemon pyjamas, a Kangol hat and South Park boxer short and sock sets.

Mr Wirth said McGeough had been warned to look out for counterfeit goods several times, which he said were a problem within the market environment.

When goods were found to be counterfeit, he said, Mr Sharland twice wrote to McGeough informing him and received no response either time.

Defending, Chris Smyth said that four or five items of clothing fell foul of both the Trades Descriptions and Trades Mark Acts.

"You appear to have a large number of charges but there is a certain amount of doubling up," he told magistrates.

"As far as he was aware his knowledge was that there was nothing wrong with these items."

Mr Smyth said his client stressed how difficult it was for traders to be sure goods supplied to them were genuine.

"How do you check they are genuine?" Mr Smyth said. "You have to send the items away for examination, you can't tell yourself. A check would take six to eight weeks, which defeats the operation of the business."

Mr Smyth added there was no doubt many other people in McGeough's situation but the court process would be a final reminder to him to stick to the letter of the law.

Robert Taylour, group leader of Swindon Borough Council Environmental Services, said that it was the responsibility of traders to ensure the goods they sell were the genuine article.

He said: "They were the sort of items bought for Christmas presents. People would have been disappointed in them, not necessarily on Christmas Day but later when the colours faded and the seams split."

Magistrates ordered the destruction of the goods.