Fake merchandise made in Wolverhampton warehouse

A businessman manufactured hundreds of T-shirts, hooded tops and bags featuring the logos of superstar bands including One Direction, Take That and JLS from his Wolverhampton video and DVD warehouse, a court heard.Stephen Roger Barnett used a heated press machine to transfer the registered trademark of a string of pop stars and groups onto garments.He then sold the goods on the internet auction website eBay, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.Other stars and groups that had their names or logos illegally printed onto products were Jessie J, N-Dubz, Justin Bieber, The Wanted, Boyzone, Lady Gaga and the Ramones. Prosecutor Mrs Donna Smith told the court that in January 2011, Trading Standards officers were contacted by Surelock International Ltd about the defendant’s business selling items that infringed the trademark act.Test purchases were then carried out by the firm in December that year and in the following February, city council Trading Standards officers visited the business, Rogers Video, on the Hilton Trading Estate in Lanesfield. It was then that a range of goods were discovered, including templates and a heat press machine.Barnett, aged 48, told investigators during interview that he had been making the goods for about 18 months. It was estimated that the total loss to the music industry as a result was £4,853. Barnett, of Wro-ttesley Road, Wolverhampton, admitted 20 trademark offences between December 2010 and July last year. Defence solicitor Mr Tony Randle had run his video and DVD firm for about 30 years and decided to sell clothing in December 2010.Magistrates warned Barnett yesterday that his offences could result in custody.He will be sentenced on January 17.

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