| Seller 'thought autographs real' |
| Men guilty over autograph forgeries Apr 2 2008 Two businessmen accused of ripping off customers by forging and selling sports stars' signatures have been found guilty at Chester Crown Court. Faisal Madani, 43, and Graeme Walker, 45, were convicted after a five-week trial which heard from star prosecution witnesses Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Ian Rush as well as evidence from Jonny Wilkinson. Madani, of Bramhall, Cheshire, and Walker, of Connah's Quay, Flintshire, already have convictions for dishonesty and trademark offences and now face potential jail terms. Walker was found guilty on 51 of the 53 charges against him, including dishonestly trading by selling faked signatures of Sir Alex Ferguson, Cristiano Ronaldo, Roy Keane, Gerrard, Wilkinson and others. He was cleared of selling a fraudulent Worthington Cup Final LFC match shirt purporting to be the original match shirt worn by Michael Owen. He was also cleared of selling a photograph with a fake signature of Owen. Madani was convicted of 18 of the 20 charges against him including supplying many of the items to Walker. He was cleared of selling a photograph with a fake signature of Gerrard. Both defendants looked to the floor as the guilty verdicts were returned. A reporting restriction around the collapse of the first trial in this case was lifted. |
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