A CHESHIRE couple who made £300,000 selling fake ID cards off their website were jailed at Chester Crown Court on Monday.

In a landmark prosecution Adrian Holmes, aged 32 and Lucy Sanders, aged 28 both of Lymmington Avenue, Lymm, were jailed after pleading guilty to specimen charges of conspiracy to supply articles for use in connection with fraud at an earlier hearing.

Judge Elgan Edwards, jailed Holmes forŠtwo yearsŠand Sanders, 28, for twelve months.

The court heard that the couple ran the business on the internet called uwantid.com and produced the PVC cards, which they sold to youngsters all over the world. Their website contained testimonials from underage drinkers who wrote that the cards were “fantastic” and “never failed” to get them into bars and clubs.

Prosecuting Peter Moss said: “They were using sophisticated thermal printing equipment which was very expensive to make the cards.”

The fake cards ranged from provisional and regular driving licences to UK, German and other European ID cards, and contained holograms and chips.

The court heard that the investigation into the couple’s activities began in August 2007.

After the six month investigation which involved the help of a number of youngsters making test purchases, the help of local bar and night club owners and partnership working with other counties the police raided the home of Sanders and Holmes.

Mr Moss said: “Between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, £165,000 worth of fake cards were sold at a price range of £10 to £20. The business has been in operation for 26 months and officers estimate the couple made £300,000.”

Officers found that the couple were making around 25 cards a day and they had orders from around the world including Israel, Pakistan, Spain and Austria.

Judge Elgan Edwards said: "You drove a coach and horses through regulations designed to control youthful drinking and access to nightclubs.”

Vanessa Griffiths from Cheshire West Trading standards said after the case: “We hope that the long sentences will act as a deterrent.”