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A business has been hit with a huge £10,000 fine for selling potentially dangerous children's clothing to customers for after ignoring previous warnings. Back in June 2024, Jack & Jill Limited in Broughton Street, Manchester were paid a visit by Council Trading Standards officers who seized more than 500 children’s dresses from their stock. This was after two previous visits to this business by officers in December 2023 and March 2024. During these visits, the owner was ordered to remove certain items from sale under the suspicion that they did not meet safety standards. However, their advice was ignored, resulting in this significant haul of dangerous items being taken away. It was then that samples of the clothing were sent away for testing and they were found to be unsafe. This was due to the length of sashes and ribbons attached the garments. Cords, drawstrings or ribbons which are too long were also documented, as they have the potential to cause serious harm to a child if they become caught or tangled in playground equipment, automatic doors, escalators or other moving objects. At a hearing held at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (October 30), the company and its director, Rakhmat Ali, 50, of Greenhill Road, Manchester, claimed they had not intended to break the law and had purchased the clothing from a trusted supplier. However it accepted they should have removed the items when requested by the Council. The defendants pleaded guilty to five offences under the General Products and Safety Regulations 2005. The company was also ordered to pay a £10,000 fine, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £2,745. Company director Ali was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £600. The items of clothing taken during investigation were subject to a seizure order and will be destroyed and recycled. Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: "When we purchase anything for a child we have to put our faith in the retailer that it is safe and will not cause them any harm. "However in this case standards were clearly disregarded and despite several warnings from the Council no action was taken. "We take issues around safety incredibly seriously and we want this to send a message that we will not allow traders to continue flouting the law, and putting children at risk."
