How To Defend A Trading Standards Investigation | Kangs Solicitors
Kangs Solicitors have been instructed to defend the Director of a company, at the centre of an investigation conducted by Trading Standards, and who is accused of running a fraudulent business and money laundering.
A trial is scheduled to take place at Bournemouth Crown Court next year.
Defence Preparation | Kangs Trading Standards Trial Team
Our client’s company is involved in the sale and distribution of sports memorabilia, including merchandise signed by various sports stars.
It is alleged that the signatures, of professional football players, on replica football shirts are fake and one of the Prosecution witnesses is expected to be the former England Captain Wayne Rooney of Everton Football Club.
As part of our client’s defence preparation, we anticipate instructing handwriting experts to analyse the signatures on the garments which are alleged to be fake, for comparison with genuine signatures.
How Do Trading Standards Operate? | Kangs Advisory Solicitors
Trading Standards prosecutions are initiated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in conjunction with the relevant local authority regulatory body for trading standards.
Trading Standards officers investigate consumer complaints and enforce legislation relating to the protection of consumers in order to prevent Unfair Trading.
Trading Standards Investigations cover a wide range of areas including the following:
- Trademark infringement
- Consumer contract regulations
- Fraudulent activity
- Food labelling
- Trade Descriptions
- Product Safety and Recall
- Unfair commercial practices
- Licencing
- Weights and Measures
- Counterfeit goods
- Advertising and sales
- Food safety
Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading | Kangs Defence Team
The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 are wide reaching and place a duty on traders not to engage in unfair commercial practices such as high pressure selling or disproportionate mark ups.
Schedule 1 of the Regulations contains a non-exhaustive list of commercial practices that are deemed unfair.
The list contains practices such as Pyramids Schemes, claiming products facilitate winning in games of chance, unfair advertising and falsely claiming a product is only available for a limited amount of time.
The full list can be reviewed by following this link: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2008/9780110811574/schedule/1
Trading Standards’ Powers | Kangs Fraud Defence Team
If you have been contacted by Trading Standards about your business practices it is essential you seek expert Legal advice. It is preferable to do this before responding to any allegation.
Early engagement with Trading Standards can enable businesses to rectify any issues and continue trading lawfully.
Trading Standards do have the power to interview individuals ‘under caution’. We have specialist lawyers who will represent you during these interviews.
Trading Standard Officers do not have powers of arrest but, if it is believed a criminal offence or trading standards offence has been committed, they can obtain police assistance.
One source of investigation used by Trading Standards’ officers is the deployment of ‘Test Purchase Officers’ who visit business premises in order to conduct undercover purchases and observe commercial practices.
If you have been charged and face litigation in the Criminal Courts we have a team of specialist lawyers who will be able to guide you through this process.
We also have close relationships with specialist defence barristers who are experts in this area of law.
Kangs Solicitors Regulatory Team | Trading Standards Solicitors
We appreciate the strain and pressure a Trading Standards’ investigation can place upon a business and it’s directors and have extensive experience in advising companies and individuals in such situations.
It is essential you seek legal advice immediately if you are subject to any such investigation.
How Can We Help? | Kangs Serious Crime Solicitors
We have a dedicated team specialising in representing clients being investigated in respect of all types of Regulatory matters.
All necessary steps are taken to ensure our client is properly guided and fully advised throughout the Police Station process.
We are happy to provide our clients and fellow professionals with an initial no obligation consultation.
If you have recently been contacted by the Police to discuss allegations of complex fraud matters, please contact our specialist team immediately through any of the following:
Hamraj Kang
hkang@kangssolicitors.co.uk
07976 258171 | 020 7936 6396 | 0121 449 9888
Amandeep Murria
amurrias@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0161 618 1098 | 0121 449 9888
John Veale
jveale@kangssolicitors.co.uk
0121 449 9888 | 020 7936 6396
Tim Thompson
tthompson@kangssolicitors.co.uk
020 7936 6396 | 07989 521210
