An Angus businessman caught selling dubious products in a High Street store has been fined.
Kaleem Ahmed, of Ogilvy Place in Arbroath, previously admitted stocking goods for which he could not provide a paper trail at Arbroath’s Nickel & Dime store.
Ahmed is a former director of Angus Homewares Ltd – the company which traded as household goods store Nickel and Dime – but is now a store manager elsewhere.
He was the chairman of the Arbroath Retail and Business Association.
The Arbroath store had hundreds of items seized by the Crown Office after a raid by Angus Council’s Trading Standards team.
Council enforcers requested supplier details for toys in May 2019 and arrived back to ask for details about electronics three days later.
Ahmed could not meet the demands for paperwork “by virtue of neglect.”
Angus Council previously described their intervention as “a long and complex investigation.”
At an earlier court hearing, forfeiture of all the confiscated items was granted.
More than 500 “non-compliant and unsafe” toys and electronics were seized including light sabers, dolls, chargers, toasters, lava lamps and “squidgy poos.”
Ceased trading
Forfar Sheriff Court heard Angus Homewares Ltd had ceased trading, with their last accounts being filed in February 2018.
Ahmed and his then-company pled guilty to not being able to provide officers with supplier details for more than a dozen lines of toys.
He alone admitted to failing to provide council enforcers with supplier details, including date of purchase, for 12 electronic items.
He and the company had originally faced charges of selling dangerous goods but not guilty pleas were accepted for most of the initial allegations.
“Unusual legislation”
Ahmed’s defence solicitor Nick Whelan said it was a kettle with a European plug which caught the eye of council investigators.
Mr Whelan stated Ahmed’s case was the first time in his legal career in which he had seen anyone prosecuted under these laws.
He explained the business bought in thousands of pounds worth of low-value stock each week.
Mr Whelan said: “It’s somewhat unusual legislation, to be fair on Mr Ahmed, although his lack of knowledge is no excuse.
“The business was effectively a discount store.
“It was a family business.
“Mr Ahmed had taken over the reigns two years prior.”
Ahmed, who has no previous convictions, had faced a fine or up to six months imprisonment and Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown opted for a financial penalty.
She fined both Ahmed, 31, and the company £500 each.
