A SHOPKEEPER near Selby has been fined £5,000 with £2,600 costs after being convicted of selling counterfeit vodka.

Today trading standards chiefs said the sentence should act as a deterrent to other small businessmen tempted to buy in illegal stock.

Selby magistrates heard that more than 140 bottles of fake vodka were recovered from the village post office and general store, in High Street, Carlton.

The rogue liquor was being sold as Kirov vodka, a popular brand. But when a trading standards' special investigations team had it analysed, it was significantly under strength.

The court was told that the bogus Kirov was 29.5 per cent proof while the real thing was 37.5 per cent. It also had a lemon odour. Trading standards officers immediately advised anyone who had bought the counterfeit spirit not to drink it, although it was not believed to be harmful.

After a day-long trial, Gurdeep Singh, 46, was found guilty of ten offences under the Trade Description, Trade Marks and Food Safety Acts. He denied all the charges.

Magistrates were told it was relatively simple to tell the original from the counterfeit.

The original has a red top with the brand name imprinted in the top and a golden eagle design on the cap top, while the fake bottles had a plain red cap without any design or brand name on it.

North Yorkshire trading standards officer Richard Flinton said later that the investigation was launched after a complaint from a Carlton store customer, concerned about the liquor's quality.

Mr Flinton told the Evening Press: "It was cheap and nasty vodka masquerading under the name of Kirov and we still don't know where it came from.

"We were not able to get past Mr Singh to trace the source.

"There was an invoice for the vodka, but it was fictitious."

He added: "We are pleased with the sentence. It sends out a strong message to shopkeepers not to buy in stock if they don't know where it came from."

Mr Singh declined to comment.

Updated: 14:49 Tuesday, September 04, 2001