Birmingham jewellers shop fined for hallmarking offences
A Birmingham jewellers shop has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 after selling gold jewellery which did not bear a recognised hallmark and offering ’22 carat gold’ jewellery which did not contain enough gold to be described as such.
Shiza Gold Factory Ltd – trading as Shiza Jewellers, in Stratford Road, Sparkhill – appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing today (July 1). The company previously admitted 25 offences during a hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court in March.
Of these, 23 offences consisted of selling items described as ‘gold’ without recognised hallmarks, as required under the Hallmarking Act 1973, with the company being fined £500 for each of two of these offences. No separate penalty was imposed for the remaining 21 offences.
The company was also fined £500 for each of two offences of selling items described as ’22 carat gold’ when their gold content fell below the required level – an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.
It was also ordered to pay £3,340 court costs, making a total of £5,340. The company was given six months to pay.
Separately, company director Sabiha Shaheen admitted three offences of selling unhallmarked items. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge for all three counts.
She pleaded not guilty to two charges of selling items which did contain enough gold to be described as ’22 carat gold’ – no evidence was offered in respect of these two charges.
The jewellery was seized by Trading Standards officers during an inspection of the business on February 4, 2014.
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