Castleford Instagram influencer used his site to flog fake designer brands such as Apple and Versace

Jack Allen, 20, who has more than 20,000 Instagram followers, managed to make over £14,300 by selling counterfeit items.

Among his stash was the iPhone 12 Max, Versace and Chanel sunglasses, Superdry ski masks, a Michael Kors bag, a Stone Island jumper, a Dior necklace and a Cartier watch.

There were also an array of different footwear. From Dior, Nike and Louboutin trainers, to Adidas Yeezys, Balenciaga sliders, and numerous pairs of Gucci footwear.

And when arrested officers discovered another £10,300 of fake shoes and phones waiting to be sold.

He used his Instagram account and Youtube account to fool thousands.

Allen arranged the sale of 15 counterfeit smartphones for £1,750 over Instagram in July 2021. The following month, he offered to sell a further 40 phones for £4,400.

Detective Constable Daryl Fryatt, of City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), said: “Allen thought he was on to a winner by using Instagram and YouTube to find potential customers for his business and encourage members of the public to purchase counterfeit goods.

“While he ran multiple accounts and even attempted to hide his identity, our investigation uncovered that he had made thousands of pounds from his fraudulent business.

"Selling fake goods to the public will land you with a criminal record, as this case shows.”

He was arrested in September 2021 and pleaded guilty earlier this month at Leeds Magistrates Court.

Allen was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay a £128 surcharge.

On his arrest, the police seized three devices and a large quantity of counterfeit footwear and mobile phones, thought to be worth an estimated £10,300.

Matthew Cope, Deputy Director of IP Enforcement at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), said: “Criminals are targeting online platforms with illegal counterfeit goods that are often defective, harm consumer confidence and help sustain criminality.

"This undermines legitimate sellers and causes damage to individuals and communities.

“The IPO welcomes the ongoing activity to clamp down on the sale of such illicit goods, working in partnership with the police and industry to help protect communities from this type of crime.”