A mother and daughter from Darlington have appeared in court facing a string of charges after they sold around £30,000 worth of counterfeit Pandora charms online.
Laurissa Gibson and mum Teresa Moyle sold the counterfeit jewellery charms over Etsy account Charmingly Cheap and eBay account harrytrotter1. Together, they made a staggering £15,000 profit between them.
As reported by Teesside Live, the court was told how the pair had answered an advert from China and were being sent the counterfeit charms to sell on to shoppers in the UK.
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Peterlee Magistrates' Court heard Gibson, 25, did not realise trade mark infringement was a "proper criminal offence" and wouldn't have sold on the charms had she known.
Denise Jackman, mitigating for Gibson, said: "In the reviews no-one was complaining about what they were buying. It seems quite clear people realised they weren't buying a Pandora charm.
"She didn't realise she was doing anything wrong."
The court heard mitigation that Gibson, who earns £300 a week working shifts at a factory, had taken in the three children of a family member and the money from the counterfeit sales went towards putting a roof over their heads as well as feeding and clothing them.
Ms Jackman said: "She is a hardworking young lady who was linked into this because it was an easy way to make some small amount of money over a period of time. She never really thought about consequences.
"It's important people don't break trade marks. If you were to search Pandora there will be hundreds of adverts bounce back at you."
Magistrates heard that both Gibson and mum-of-five Moyle were of previous good character.
John Turner, for Moyle, outlined that the mum, of Shakespeare Road, had a small gambling habit at the time of the offences.
"With online gambling £200 could be gone in a very short period of time," he said.
"The money made no difference to her lifestyle, what she made went then on her addiction.
"The shock and horror of having to appear before the court has had an impact on her. She will likely always be vulnerable to it but she does not gamble anymore.
"If bailiffs were to call they would struggle to get even the meanest amount of money from her belongings."
The pair found themselves before magistrates following a private prosecution by TMI on behalf on Pandora and pleaded guilty to numerous counts of selling goods identical or likely to be mistaken for a registered trade mark.
Both Gibson, of Eggleston View, and Moyle were given 12 month community orders where they must complete 10 rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work, and pay contributing costs of £5,000 plus a £95 victim surcharge.
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