Batley man sentenced over sale of counterfeit football shirts

Officers seized hundreds of items from Matthew Hyett's market stall, according to police

A man who sold counterfeit football shirts ahead of the 2022 World Cup has been given a suspended prison term.

Matthew Hyett, 33, of Mill Street, Batley, sold the fake merchandise from a market stall in Morley and online.

At Leeds Magistrates' Court on 2 August, he admitted the acquisition of criminal property and distributing goods bearing a false trade mark.

On Wednesday at Leeds Crown Court, Hyett received a six-month jail term, suspended for 12 months.

Officers from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at City of London Police arrested Hyett on 10 October 2022.

They seized 1,674 counterfeit items, worth an estimated loss to the industry of £70,000, when search warrants were executed at Hyett's stall and residential address.

Interviewed by officers after his arrest, Hyett admitted he knew the shirts were counterfeit, police said.

'Exploit loyalty of fans'

Det Con Daryl Fryatt, from PIPCU, said his sentence would serve as a warning.

"We urge football fans to think twice before buying fake merchandise," he said.

"An individual may think that when buying counterfeit goods, they are only affecting a multi-million pound brand, but in reality they could be helping fund criminal activity.

"Whatever savings customers may pocket when buying a counterfeit item are often offset by its poor quality and the risks that come from using a product that has been manufactured illegally."

Marcus Evans, deputy director of intelligence and law enforcement at the Intellectual Property Office, said criminal networks continued to "exploit the loyalty of sports fans" for financial gain.

"This is anything but a victimless crime," he said.

"Overall, it is estimated the sale of counterfeit goods contributes to more than 80,000 job losses in the UK each year by diverting funds away from legitimate traders and into the hands of criminals."

In addition to his suspended sentence, Hyett was also ordered to complete 150 hours of community service.