Quentin ensures discontinuance of case against company directors in trading standards prosecution

Quentin Hunt was instructed by the directors of a limited company which was charged with misleading marketing trading standards offences contrary to regulation 3(1) of the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008. The directors of the company were also both personally charged under the breach of the Regulations that was said to be with their consent, connivance, or neglect.

The charges related to the advertisement and sale of printer cartridges by the company YPPC Ltd, the operation of which was said to have been in breach of trading standards Regulations, by virtue of misleading and deceptive sales techniques. The directors were all people of good character and were terrified about the prospect of criminal convictions and the potential for Director’s Disqualification under the Companies Act 2006 or the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

The directors and company appointed specialist trading standards Barrister Quentin Hunt to act on their behalf on a direct public access basis. Upon instruction, Quentin ascertained the factual basis of the case from the directors and ensured that the prosecution authority served him with all relevant paperwork.

Quentin is an expert in ensuring that criminal cases do not go to trial and works tirelessly in each case to try to ensure the best outcome for his clients. In this case, Quentin identified that a potential avenue of negotiation could be for undertakings to be signed by the directors of the company in exchange for the prosecution being discontinued. This can take place either under the Enterprise Act 2002, if the sales are made to consumers, or the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, if the sales are made to businesses.

Upon negotiation with the local authority who prosecuted this matter, Quentin was able to formulate a series of undertakings that were satisfactory to both the prosecution and his clients. Quentin’s clients formally signed the undertakings and as a result, the prosecution discontinued the proceedings against the directors of the company. As the matter had reached Court formal verdicts of Not Guilty were entered against them and they stood formally acquitted of all charges.

Quentin Hunt is a specialist trading standards Barrister; he represents both companies and individuals for such matters on a regular basis and has written a number of guides to trading standards law to assist members of the public. If you find yourself accused of a trading standards offence you may wish to employ experienced and specialist representation. You may contact Quentin in order to discuss any case on a free, confidential, no obligation basis.