A MAN who sold fake jewellery could have pocketed upwards of £50,000 in sales.

Jamie Lewis Ricketts sold knock-off Pandora charms making thousands of pounds in profit, a court heard.

The 28-year-old sold the collectable items via an online eBay store.

Bought from a high street retailer or via the Pandora website - genuine goods can fetch up to £100.

During a court hearing on Wednesday, it was said that a single item listed on the financial administrator’s site at £12.99 had been sold 1,436 times and so adding up to £18,653.

The crown prosecution service said his total sales were “clearly above £50,000. Probably more.”

Daily Echo:

There were a high quantity of counterfeit items which were being sold at a substantial mark up, the court heard.

The prosecution put forward it was clear the business had been going on for some years.

Ricketts, of Nursery Gardens in Eastleigh is said to have bought the fake goods from a supplier in China.

However, after receiving complaints in January this year he stopped selling the jewellery.

Ricketts previously pleaded guilty to three counts of selling goods with a sign likely to be mistaken for a registered trademark.

The offences took place between September 17, last year and January 21 this year.

Daily Echo:

Defence solicitor, Damien Hayes, argued his client accepted he was selling counterfeit goods but did not accept he was part of an established organisation. Instead, he was a sole trader and took them at face value.

However, District Judge Richard Blake did not accept this and deemed the offences as serious.

He added that counterfeit goods can cause damage to the reputation of companies.

Ricketts was jailed for 52 weeks, suspended for 24 months.

Judge Blake ordered him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

He must pay £1,963 in court costs and a £156 victim surcharge.