A man who went on selling fake Louis Vuitton bags at Camden Market despite being taken to court has avoided a jail sentence.
Mohammed Abdullah, a 30-year-old Afghan refugee, was found guilty of selling counterfeit goods in 2017 when investigators from the designer and tech giant Apple made a series of test purchases.
But the following year an undercover investigator made three more purchases from Abdullah's shop in Camden High Road, all of which were later confirmed to be counterfeit goods.
He appeared at Southwark Crown Court on September 5, the Daily Mail reported.
Abdullah, who lives in Finchley, has now been convicted of three new counts of selling counterfeit goods between November 22 and December 15, 2018, and one count of possessing counterfeit goods after a trial.
The first test purchase, made on November 22, 2018, was a purse supposedly produced by Louis Vuitton.
It was priced at £20, compared to £500 for a genuine Louis Vuitton purse.
Analysis of the item revealed incorrect slots, inferior material, as well as the fact that Louis Vuitton does not produce wallets with that particular pattern.
The undercover investigator made two more purchases.
On December 6, they bought a bag for £20, which would have cost £1,250 had it been genuine.
On December 18, they purchased another bag for £40, estimated to be worth £855 if it had been authentic.
Analysis of the material, stitching, lining, and embossing on these items confirmed that they were fakes.
Prosecutor Donal Lawler argued that Abdullah was not a mere shop worker following orders.
James Manning, defending highlighted his client's role as the sole breadwinner for his family.
He pointed out that Abdullah's wife does not work and relies on child benefits for their three children.
Mr Manning emphasized that Abdullah did not make substantial profits from his illegal activities as the counterfeit items were sold for £20 or £40, resulting in "modest" financial gains.
Additionally, Abdullah had applied for permanent leave to remain in the UK, but his application had been delayed due to his pending criminal case.
The court heard that he was unable to attend his father's funeral at the beginning of the year because of his immigration status, and was therefore unable to leave the country.
Mr Manning said there had been a "significant" delay in the case, which had detrimentally affected Abdullah.
He added that he had been assessed as being "at low risk"of reoffending.
Sentencing Abdullah, Judge Joanne Clement said none of the items sold by the defendant were genuine Louis Vuitton products.
However, she took into account the time that had passed since the offences and Abdullah's responsibilities as a caregiver to his young children.
Abdullah received a community order, requiring him to complete 150 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.
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