A DEFENDANT accused of supplying forged autographs to a Chester memorabilia dealer will not be taking the stand to give evidence.

Faisal Madani, 43, was due to enter the witness box at Chester Crown Court on Monday to give his version of events in relation to claims he sold fake autographs to Graeme Walker, owner of Chester-based Sporting Icons Ltd, who then sold them on to the public.

But Madani’s barrister Peter Davies said his client would not be giving evidence.

Earlier the court was told Walker had continued to use the Universal Autograph Collectors Club logo on invoices six months after he had been expelled.

Andrew Thomas, prosecuting on behalf of Cheshire Trading Standards, said: “You are doing that because it lends credibility to your business.”

Walker responded: “It’s still on there, yes, it should have been removed. Some of the invoices had black felt tip through them. Some of them were removed.”

The court also heard about a photograph produced by Walker apparently of David Beckham and former player Kevin Beattie in the same room and apparently holding a signed football shirt.

But Mr Thomas played the jury a video clip from a TV show which showed an archive still of Mr Beckham in the background and Mr Beattie live in the studio in the foreground.

Mr Thomas said the photograph produced by Walker was “identical” except the football shirt had been superimposed. Walker accepted “It’s not far away, yes”.

Walker was also asked about England FA caps, apparently issued to England players, supplied by Madani and on sale at Sporting Icons.

Walker said he had compared the caps with one issued to former England player Peter Barnes to check their authenticity.

But Mr Thomas asked the defendant to handle and compare the Barnes’ cap with an agreed fake sold by Sporting Icons for £275 which was said to have been worn by Tony Woodcock in a game against Luxembourg in 1982 .

He asked him to look at the tape on the inside, the stitching, the way the date had been embroidered and the weight of the tassles. “It’s different isn’t it?” said Mr Thomas.

He added: “You accept you personally had responsibility for buying, you personally are the one responsible for due diligence, you were receiving a job lot of caps that you claim you believed were genuine official England caps – spares – all identical apart from names and dates, all in pristine condition and all different from the Peter Barnes’ cap that was your reference specimen. You didn’t believe they were originals did you? It’s obvious they are fakes isn’t it?”

“No it isn’t,” replied Walker.

The case continues.