A former director of a scandal-stricken Carnoustie hotel has admitted stashing hundreds of fake designer items inside.
Douglas Piggott appeared in the dock at Forfar Sheriff Court to plead guilty to 20 separate charges.
Hundreds of seized items illegitimately bore brand logos including Nike, Adidas, Apple, Jimmy Choo and Radley and Co.
Piggott, of East Haven near Carnoustie, admitted having the goods on March 12 2020.
Sheriff Edward Gilroy deferred sentencing on the 66-year-old first offender.
Nike, Adidas, Jimmy Choo, Apple
The bootleg items found at the High Street hotel included 21 pairs of trainers which bore Adidas’s trademarked name, trefoil and three-bar logos.
Another 27 pairs of trainers had the trademarked Nike “swoosh” and were seized with 54 two-piece women’s gym outfits with phony Nike branding.
Three handbags, one with a purse attached, was discovered with Jimmy Choo branding and three handbags and a wallet with bootleg Radley “Scottie dog” logos were also found.
17 pairs of of fake Timberland boots were recovered.
As well as the fashion items, 97 phone charger adaptors, 84 lightning cables and four pairs of earphones were discovered, illegitimately bearing Apple’s official logo.
Not guilty pleas
Piggott admitted that in the course of running the licensed premises, he possessed for sale the fake name-brand goods.
Piggott allowed the corporate body WDP Distribution Ltd to commit the same offences while he was director.
He appeared in the dock alongside his wife Wendy and the company WPD Distribution.
Wendy Piggott and the company had pleas of not guilty accepted and were acquitted.
Douglas Piggott will return to be sentenced on October 19 after reports are prepared.
Hotel infamy
The Dalhousie Hotel hit headlines in August 2021 when the couple’s son, DJ Bracken Piggott, pled guilty to running a drug enterprise from the premises.
Douglas Piggott was initially charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis on the same petition.
However, proceedings relating to him were not continued.
Bracken Piggott lived at the hotel and served as bar manager and DJ.
As well as running dance music events company Distorted Euphoria, Bracken Piggott was also listed as being a director for the hotel.
Police were granted a search warrant after receiving intelligence drugs were being dealt from the premises and arrived a day before Douglas Piggott was caught with the fake items.
Officers recovered a bin containing bags of herbal substance in the living room and more bags of drugs from a BMW.
More herbal substance was found in the living room, along with a bag of cocaine.
Police seized a mobile phone containing messages and internet searches relating to the supply of cannabis.
Tick lists, drug paraphernalia and almost £16,000 in cash was also discovered.
It was determined the cannabis had a maximum potential street value of £4,300.
Bracken Piggott told police: “The drugs belong to me.”
He pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possessing cocaine.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, he was jailed for 14 months.
Months after the raid, Douglas Piggott surrendered his premises licence and the hotel ceased trading.
Last summer, plans were approved to convert the building into holiday flats.
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