A market trader has been sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work after being caught by Kent County Council Trading Standards selling counterfeit clothes.

John Whittle, 53, was charged with 19 offences of possessing and selling clothes as authentic brands when they were in fact counterfeit.

They included Superdry, Ralph Lauren, Fred Perry, Hollister, Jack Wills, Ugg, Lacoste, Mulberry and Juicy Couture.

This Superdry gilet was among the items seized.

He denied the charges when he appeared at Dartford magistrates court on March 30 but was found guilty and sentenced to 180 days in jail, suspended for 12 months.

Whittle was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work, pay £2,000 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

His goods, totalling over 650 items, which he sold from a pop-up stall on New Road in Gravesend, will be de-branded and recycled.

Bagged up: The fake items taken from the stall in Gravesend.

Trading Standards Manager Richard Strawson said: “The magistrates found Whittle had not undertaken sufficient checks to ensure the goods were genuine.

“Consumers should have confidence that what they are buying is genuine. In this case, Mr Whittle had previously received a conviction for similar offences and therefore was fully aware of his obligations.

“We will continue to take a robust approach to this issue in order to protect both consumers and legitimate businesses.”