Lyme Regis: Unsafe fake saws warning (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: Unsafe fake saws warning

10:50am Thursday 4th February 2010

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TRADING standards officers have warned of potentially dangerous counterfeit chainsaws after a man was fined at a magistrates court.

Officers said that anyone who has bought fake Stihl tools from the man should not use them as they may be a safety hazard.

Carmine Paolillo, aged 36, of Naples, Italy, pleaded guilty under the Trade Marks Act of 1994 to possessing with a view to sale eight counterfeit Stihl chainsaws after being caught in Charmouth.

Paolillo was fined £550 by Weymouth magistrates, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £50 and a forfeiture order was made for the eight chainsaws. The court was told how Paolillo was stopped by traffic officers in the Charmouth area and found to have the goods in the boot of his car, bearing the Stihl trademark. Police had received complaints the previous day of someone knocking on doors trying to sell chainsaws. Officers contacted trading standards and the items were identified as counterfeit.

Trading standards officers from Dorset County Council said they were considered to be unsafe as each had a trigger lock and they would continue to operate if dropped.

When interviewed by trading standards officers, Paolillo said that he was a salesman normally selling clothing but had sold chainsaws in the past. On January 22 he said he had swapped clothing with a contact he had in Birmingham for 16 chainsaws, and had sold eight so far.

He said he was aware they were counterfeit but claimed never to have described them as Stihl. He sold them for £100 each.

Bill Jaggs, head of regulatory services for Dorset County Council said: “This matter is of concern due to the potential danger posed by these items and we would urge anyone who has purchased one of these chainsaws not to use it.”

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