Ebay conman told to pay cash back


A man who sold darts flights with counterfeit football club logos on eBay must pay back £9,020 or face jail.

Sean Catton, 36, from Greenfield, Flintshire was ordered to repay most of his £10,534 profit under the Proceeds of Crime Act or face six months jail.

Mold Crown Court previously heard how Manchester United FC officials raised the alarm when they saw counterfeit club darts advertised for sale online.

Catton admitted six charges and was placed on a nine-month community order.

This will involve 80 hours of unpaid work.

Chris Moss, prosecuting on behalf of Flintshire Council, told Mold Crown Court Catton made £3,100 by selling counterfeit flights and an extra £7,500 by inflating the cost of postage and packaging.

While he could send them for 35p, he charged £5.54 - which the court heard was a common eBay scam.

Premiership clubs

Catton used computer images of official football club logos and had them printed on the flights by a Chester company, which was also being investigated, the court was told.

There had been 451 transactions where he sold counterfeit flights.

When trading standards officials searched a house they found flights displaying the logos of Premier League clubs including Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.

Catton admitted six charges of possessing counterfeit football club darts flights, which is against the Trademark Act.

The court heard how Catton had received eBay payments of more than £17,000 since 2005, but that included all items he sold.

Henry Gow, defending, said Catton had wanted to improve his life and that of his family, and was ashamed of his actions.


THE BBC