A SHOPKEPPER has been sentenced to nine months in jail for selling fake designer goods after a jury found him guilty last week. Baldeep Singh Arora, who runs Balli Gift House in Goulston Street, Whitechapel was found guilty of trading in counterfeit goods

A SHOPKEPPER has been sentenced to nine months in jail for selling fake designer goods after a jury found him guilty last week.

Baldeep Singh Arora, who runs Balli Gift House in Goulston Street, Whitechapel was found guilty of trading in counterfeit goods after a two day trial at Isleworth Crown Court last Wednesday.

A hoard of fake Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Sony and Panasonic products were found at an inspection of his shop in September 2008.

During the inspection, Tower Hamlets council's Trading Standards team seized 780 items suspected of containing infringing trade marks or of being unsafe.

The items included 29 Louis Vuitton jewellery sets, 20 Panasonic headphones, 11 packs of Sony batteries and nine Calvin Klein watches.

The council's Trading Standards manager John Mccrohan said: "Selling fake goods is bad business.

"Not only does it affect legitimate local businesses, but it also leaves the customer short changed as they end up paying for an inferior product."

Along with a jail sentence, Arora was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of �6,900.