Bonnybridge Del Boy forced to stump up cash as compensation for fake goods scam

Conroy Lindsay, 37, was jailed for 15 months in September last year after trading standards officers investigated an advertiser on Gumtree promoting himself as "The Watch Seller".

A subsequent search found his bedroom wardrobe stuffed with luxury watches, sunglasses, clothing and aftershave that would have been worth more than £650,000 if they had not been Chinese knock offs.

The case was then continued for confiscation action under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover financial gains Lindsay made from the bogus goods scheme and called at Falkirk Sheriff Court earlier today.

It was stated an agreement had been reached between the Crown and Lindsay's lawyers the total proceeds of his general criminal conduct had amounted to £1,029,474.

However, his only recoverable assets were agreed to be his equity in a house in Dennyloanhead and a single – genuine – Rolex watch. The court was told that the

watch and his share in the domestic property amounted to a total of £31,086.74.

Defence solicitor Stephen Biggam said it had been agreed payment of this amount would bring the confiscation action to an end and asked for six months to make the full repayment.

He added: "Mr Lindsay's currently still serving his prison sentence. He's due to be released soon, when he will be in a position to make the relevant sum available."

Prosecutor Bernadette Cuthbertson said the Crown did not oppose Mr Biggam's motion and Sheriff John MacRitchie made the compensation order for £31,086.74.

Last year Lindsay, of Bonnybridge, pleaded guilty to contravening the 1994 Trade Marks Act by selling watches, wall clocks, aftershave, footwear, clothing and bags

with bogus trademarks for nearly two years – between August 2017 and June 2019 – from locations in Bonnybridge and Falkirk.

At the time Mr Biggam said Lindsay had turned to selling fakes "to keep the wolf from the door" after being involved in a road accident in Turkey.

He added injuries Lindsay sustained had prevented him from carrying on a legitimate business that he had previously run, and profits from the fake trade were to allow

his family to remain in their family home.