A MAN who had over 4,000 counterfeit car accessories for sale has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Mark Tykva was sentenced on Friday, January 21 to 12 months’ custody for two years as well as 200 hours of unpaid work.

The 36-year-old, of Wannock Lane in Eastbourne, was tried for four days at Brighton Crown Court last month when the jury found him unanimously guilty of eight counts of breaching the trade marks act. He was convicted of having 4,569 counterfeit car parts in his possession for sale.

Tykva was also convicted of selling counterfeit car parts through “test purchases” made by East Sussex Trading Standards and the car companies, and for advertising 69 fake BMW products for sale on his website.

Following an investigation by East Sussex Trading Standards in 2019, after concerns were raised by a representative of BMW, officers found just under 10,000 bogus car badges and accessories at Tykva’s home address.

The counterfeit products were stored in two garden sheds and included items branded BMW, Porsche, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Mini.

The equivalent retail value of the goods seized if they were genuine was in excess of £200,000.

Richard Strawson, East Sussex Trading Standards Team Manager, said: “This conviction marks the end of a long running Trading Standards investigation and we are pleased to see the defendant found guilty and sentenced accordingly.

The Argus: Some of the fake accessories Some of the fake accessories

“Selling counterfeit goods not only breaches trade marks legislation but harms the trade of legitimate suppliers and damages consumer confidence.

“This successful prosecution sends a strong message to anyone thinking of dealing in counterfeit goods that this activity will not be tolerated and highlights our commitment to prosecuting such individuals.”

Sentencing Tykva, Recorder Nicholas Yeo said: “Your offending took place over 15 months. The jury rejected your account that you believed on reasonable grounds that the goods were genuine. I am quite satisfied that you lied.”

Recorder Yeo also made an order for the forfeiture and destruction of all the items seized.

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