South Tyneside post office boss sold pirate DVDs

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The manager of a South Tyneside post office was caught with more than 500 pirate DVDs in his shop.

Police and trading standards officials raided the post office in Binchester Street, Simonside, South Shields, in January last year after being tipped off about the dodgy DVDs.

The officers found 546 films – including Night at the Museum, The Chronicles of Narnia and Paranormal Activity – and confiscated them.

Postmaster Mahmood Ashraf was arrested there and then on suspicion of selling the discs, and a further 336 DVDs were found at his home.

He pleaded guilty to 12 counts of possessing goods with a false trademark for sale at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court heard that Ashraf, who has run the post office with his wife since 1999, would buy the DVDs from a supplier and sell them to his friends to make extra money after getting into financial difficulties.

Magistrates were told there was no proof that he sold the films from the post office.

Angus Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of South Tyneside Council, said: “As far back as September 2011, trading standards officers were made aware of potential counterfeit goods being held at the premises.

“Surveillance was carried out, and the post office was searched in January last year.

“As well as the discs that were seized, the defendant’s home computer was also taken, and on it there were graphics and artwork for the DVDs and their covers.” Mr Taylor told the court that Ashraf gave a prepared statement to the police in which he admitted selling the DVDs after falling on hard times.

Ashraf had no previous convictions, the court heard.

Muhammad Awan, defending, said his client was a hard-working family man who only started selling the DVDs out of desperation.

He said: “He would only sell them to an exclusive group of friends, and he would go to their homes to do it.

“He got involved because the retail side of the post office business completely disappeared after a neighbouring estate was demolished. It was his main income, and he began to struggle for money.

“He started to sell the discs to try to keep his head above water.

“It only brought in between £100 and £200 a month, and it was used for fuel, food and other essentials.”

The probation service prepared a report recommending that Ashraf be given a community order.

However, Mr Awan told the court that Ashraf and his wife would lose their jobs at the post office now he has a criminal conviction and urged magistrates to give him a conditional discharge.

Chairwoman of the bench Dr Theresa Waring said: “We’re going to step outside of our guidelines and give you a conditional discharge.

“We’ve taken into account that you might lose your job, but because it’s been made clear that a lot of work went into bringing you to court, we will order that you pay the full costs.

“We don’t expect to see you in court ever again.”

Ashraf, of Aylesford Mews, Sunderland, was given a two-year conditional discharge, with £2,885 court costs.

Magistrates also ordered that the DVDs and his computer be destroyed.