A WOMAN who sold fake Ugg boots on Facebook was caught by a trading standards officer posing as a customer.

The member of Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team convinced Elizabeth Mildenhall to allow her to come to her home in Lavender Way, Witney, last year.

After the exchange the goods were found to be counterfeit and her home was searched in December.

Nine pairs of counterfeit Ugg boots were discovered, along with two fake Ralph Lauren swimsuits.

The 22-year-old, now of Andersey Way, Abingdon, admitted six trading crimes at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was fined £200 for each offence.

She also admitted transferring criminal property after moving £5,465.84 from one bank account to another and was fined £2,000 for that offence.

She was ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a £40 victims’ surcharge.

Richard Webb, the council’s trading standards and community safety manager, said: “The sale of counterfeit clothing damages local economies, supports organised crime and it is not tolerated in Oxfordshire.

“I hope this conviction acts as a strong warning and deterrent to anybody else who is considering selling fake goods locally.”

Anu Prashar, a team leader for Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team, who prosecuted Mildenhall, said: “This was not a sophisticated counterfeit clothing selling operation and one that was infiltrated via Facebook by Trading Standards.

“Mildenhall responded to our messages even though she had no idea who was making the contact and then blatantly sold the fake Ugg boots to our officer at her then home after arranging to meet via Facebook.

“The fines given Mildenhall reflect how seriously the courts take the matter of counterfeit goods.”

Councillor Louise Chapman, the county council’s cabinet member for policy co-ordination, added: “There are trademark rules for a reason and those who break them by selling counterfeit goods are committing a criminal offence which can lead to prosecution and a conviction.”