ILLEGAL street traders are being warned to stay away from this weekend's Stone Roses concerts in Heaton Park, after a man was prosecuted for the offence.
Illegal street trading jeopardises our hard-working bona fide traders and threatens jobs.
Abdou Tall Gueye was handed a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 court costs at Manchester Magistrates Court on Wednesday 20 June, after Manchester City Council officers caught him in the act.
Gueye pleaded guilty to the offence after his goods were seized from him by officers in March, on Piccadilly Gardens.
Gueye was seen attempting to sell inflatable items from a trolley. He was then interviewed under caution and officers used their powers of seizure to confiscate the items.
Around 80 toys were seized from Gueye and will be disposed of, after magistrates awarded a forfeiture order to Manchester City Council.
Executive member for the environment, Councillor Nigel Murphy, said: "This penalty should serve as a warning to any illegal street traders thinking of exploiting this weekend's concerts in Heaton Park. Our officers will be patrolling the surrounding streets.
"Illegal street trading jeopardises our hard-working bona fide traders and threatens jobs. We would encourage anybody looking for merchandise at the Stone Roses concerts to use the legitimate stalls set up within the venue."
