Dealer hoarded £20k of fake top brands – but he won't be jailed due to ill health

A ROGUE dealer who hoarded £20,000 of fake goods in his Spondon home was spared jail due to his ailing health.

Robert Kokiet's haul included counterfeit Veuve Clicquot champagne, Ugg boots, Hugo Boss scarves, Golden Virginia tobacco and Superkings cigarettes.

The 51-year-old, of Edmund Street, pleaded guilty at Derby Crown Court to breaching trademark regulations in the course of business.

A judge said he deserved an immediate jail term but, after hearing he was in "fragile" health, instead gave him a 14-month sentence, suspended for two years, plus 200 hours' unpaid work.

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The court heard Kokiet had a computer containing pictures of champagne bottle labels which could have been printed.

Mobile telephone text messages referred to the sale of counterfeit Ugg boots for £50 and requests for more champagne.

Judge Jonathan Gosling told him: "What you were doing was dealing professionally as a sideline in counterfeit goods.

"That is obvious from the amount of property found, the range of items and text messages from customers.

"You have an unattractive record of dishonesty over many years.

"I would have hoped you had learned that crime does not pay."

The judge ordered the destruction of the goods.

Will Bennett, mitigating, described Kokiet as a hard worker who was a lorry driver and ran a removals firm, employing one other person.

Kokiet suffered a heart attack when he was subject to an earlier suspended sentence.

He also had blood pressure problems.

"He is terrified of the prospect of going inside. His doctor is concerned a custodial environment will make his health deteriorate," said Mr Bennett.

The defence barrister added that Kokiet's home had been the scene of a "very serious burglary" in 2011, which had left his partner "terrorised".

Alex Wolfson, prosecuting, said Kokiet was seized when he and another man were caught siphoning diesel from a lorry on March 2 last year.

When asked what he was doing, Kokiet told police: "Nothing, everything is fine."

But officers detected a strong smell of diesel and found two large containers in a Transit van.

About 50 litres of fuel, worth £55, had been taken.

The other counterfeit goods were found when officers went to Kokiet's home as part of the enquiry.

Kokiet claimed he gave the items to friends and family after buying them from a man called Dave at Donington Market.

The court heard that he had 19 previous convictions, including handling stolen goods and evading duty on imported goods.