eBay conman sold fake soccer tops

The court heard customers expected the items to be genuine

A conman has admitted duping about 200 people into buying fake football shirts on internet auction site eBay.

Flintshire magistrates heard how Paul Davies, 34, from Mold, imported the shirts from Thailand and charged between �20 and �43 for them.

They included bogus David Beckham, Christian Ronaldo, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United merchandise.

Davies admitted four fraud charges, six trademark offences, obtaining money by deception and will be sentenced later.

Another 193 similar charges are to be taken into consideration and District Judge Andrew Shaw said the case was so serious Davies would be dealt with at crown court.

Huw Evans, prosecuting, said Davies had four eBay accounts and between September 2006 and March 2008 offered clothes for sale which he claimed were made by Adidas, Nike and Puma.

However, an investigation was launched by Flintshire trading standards officials and North Wales Police following complaints.

Davies will now be the subject of a specialist financial investigation under The Proceeds of Crime Act.

Huw Roberts, defending, said his client's wife was from Thailand and Davies had a contact in Bangkok who sold him fake shirts.

Davies was bailed pending sentence next month, on condition that he does not leave the UK or apply for travel documents.

The judge said: "It was planned, commercial crime."