A former teacher who earned hundreds of thousands of pounds selling counterfeit Pandora charms online has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Cheshire West and Chester Trading Standards brought the case against Suzanne Piercy after an investigation into the sale of counterfeit Pandora jewellery being sold through a web-based auction site.

The defendant imported counterfeit charms from contacts in Germany and Hong Kong and sold them online using a significant number of listings, under the name of Zacsfactor.

Piercy, 48, of Sutherland Way, Vicars Cross , Chester , was found guilty at Chester Crown Court of one count of fraudulent trading between March 2014 and June 2016, together with two trade mark offences.

Examples of the fake Pandora charms being sold by Suzanne Piercy from Chester.

Trading standard officers and police officers executed a search warrant at her house on June 9, 2016. A total of 1,285 fake Pandora products were seized along with £3,205 cash.

Between March 2015 and June 2016 she had sold 15,494 Pandora products earning more than £300,000.

The potential loss to Pandora based on the retail value of the genuine products was said to be £755,000 if all the fakes had been sold.

Summing up, Judge Roger Dutton, Recorder of Chester, stated Piercy was ‘operating a well-run, efficient, successful, professional business making substantial profits’.

Judge Roger Dutton, Honorary Recorder of Chester

She was being used ‘as an outlet for a supplier from overseas’ and ‘it soon became clear it was not legitimate and exploited the scheme for her own and her family’s benefit’.

Maria Byrne, the council’s director of place operations, said: “Our trading standards officers protect residents across Cheshire West by investigating the sale of counterfeit products.

“I would ask Cheshire West residents to seriously think twice about supporting this kind of activity. Buying counterfeit goods on-line may appear to be an attractive and cheap alternative but they are, by their very nature, inferior products and are often unsafe.

Examples of the fake Pandora charms being sold by Suzanne Piercy from Chester.

“This is the end result of a very complex investigation. This case has been listed for a proceeds of crime hearing in June to recover the proceeds from what was a substantial counterfeiting operation.

“We will take action against anyone found selling counterfeit products in Cheshire West and Chester. Counterfeiting is an illegal activity which affects the livelihoods of legitimate, hardworking businesses.”