A woman took over the family business sold teeth whitener in breach of regulations and conned people into taking qualifications she was not approved to deliver.

Bolton Council spent £90,000 investigating Rebecca McAllister.

She took over the family business and was director of Smile Enhance Cosmetics Limited and Smile Enhance Network from July 2017 until they were dissolved in October 2019.

Bolton Crown Court heard she had been visited in previous enterprises by Salford Council and told not to sell teeth whitener with more than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide in it.

But when Bolton Council staff visited her premises on Manchester Road in June and July 2018 they found products in breach of this rule.

They took 416 noir gels, 100 amber gels and 100 red gels.

Some were sent for analysis and all found to have more than 0.1 per cent hydrogen peroxide in them.

In October 2017 she sold two women courses in beauty which she claimed were National Vocational Qualifications but she was not certified to deliver these.

The first woman paid £1,500 for this and the second paid £2,800.

Robin Kitching, prosecuting, said: “From August 2017 to June 2018 the turnover was about £200,000.”

He added: “Bolton Council had costs in excess of £90,000 in this case.”

McAllister, from Howard Road, Warrington, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting two counts of unfair commercial practices and three breaches of EU cosmetic regulations.

Bob Sastry, defending, said she had no means and was the carer for four children including one who was seriously unwell.

He added that she had not set out to deceive people when she took over the business.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh said: “There are considerable personal issues here which the probation service are well equipped to deal with.

“You have no means whatsoever, it does not seem to me it is open to me to make an order for payment of costs.”

He imposed a community order to run for three years and ordered her to attend at 45 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Bolton Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Hilary Fairclough, said "unsafe practices" would not be tolerated.

She said: “This case highlights the harm that can be caused by unsafe and unregulated cosmetic treatments.

“Not only do such actions pose a significant risk to the health of Bolton residents, but they can also undermine public confidence in legitimate and well-trained professionals.

“This result sends a clear message that we will not tolerate unsafe practices, and we will use our enforcement powers to protect the public and hold those responsible to account.”