FAKE sportswear was seized by trading standards officers from a Farnworth discount clothes shop, a jury heard.
They swooped on Quality Service Fashions in Market Street and found the goods featuring false logos, Burnley Crown Court was told. They also went to shops in Bolton Road, Atherton, and Blackburn and recovered fake ski hats and sweatshirts, claiming to be made by Kickers, Adidas, Nike and Ellesse. They also seized thousands of pairs of socks.
Quality Service (NW) Ltd denies 11 counts of possessing goods for gain in the course of a business bearing a design resembling a trade mark without the consent of the proprietor. Chairman George Yates, who will be answering the allegations, believed the clothing was genuine.
Matthew Smith, prosecuting for Blackburn and Darwen Borough Council, said Quality Service (NW) Ltd, had a number of shops throughout the North-west and was run primarily by Mr Yates and his son, Simon. It sold clothes of well known names at discount prices.
On March 27, 2000, trading standards officers went to the three shops in Atherton, Farnworth and Blackburn after a complaint by an employee of a company which is the licence holder of Kickers and Ellesse trade marks.
The prosecutor said there was a defence to the allegations if the company could show it believed on reasonable grounds that the goods were not fake.
(Proceeding)
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