A Halesowen trader who continued to advertise baby booster seats despite knowing they posed a ‘serious’ risk has been prosecuted in a case brought by Dudley Trading Standards.

Dean Price, managing director of Venture Distribution Ltd, Chancel Way, Halesowen, admitted placing on the market the baby booster seats, which did not comply with current British standards at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on January 25th.

The booster seats, designed to affix to a dining room chair, used strapping, which was too ‘slippy’ and therefore presented a risk of a child falling from the chair. The product was also delivered in plastic packaging that was either too thin or without sufficient perforation to prevent a ‘serious’ suffocation hazard.  The labelling, warnings and information accompanying the product were also insufficient.

Mr Price was told by Dudley Council’s Trading Standards that the consignment of booster seats he had imported from China failed to comply with the British Standard BS EN 16120. The importer was also told to immediately quarantine any remaining stock yet the online retailer continued to advertise the item on Amazon, Ebay and via his own website. 

The unsafe consignment was then formally suspended from further supply and a withdrawal notice was served on the trader, which requires the whereabouts of the batch to be known by Dudley Trading Standards at all times.

At Dudley Magistrates Court on March 15th, the court fined the company the statutory maximum penalty of £10,000 for placing the unsafe product on the market and contravening the requirements of professional diligence and ordered that the company pay £3688 in costs and a £170 victim surcharge. 

The court also sentenced Mr Price to 100 hours of unpaid community service and ordered him to pay a £85 victim surcharge. Councillor Gaye Partridge, cabinet member for communities, said:

"This prosecution sends out a clear message that we will protect consumers from traders, who sell goods, which are found to be unsafe. We will also not tolerate traders that ignore advice leading to offences being committed.”