Jeweller denies conning customers (From Penarth Times)

Jeweller denies conning customers

A PENARTH jeweller in the dock on charges of theft, deception and witness intimidation this week told Cardiff Crown Court that he never knowingly sold fake Rolex watches and did not cheat a 90-year-old pensioner out of a 40,000 diamond ring.

Gary Riggs, owner of the Band of Gold jewellery shop in the town centre, told the court that if counterfeit goods were passed on by him then it was when he was acting as an agent for other sellers.

Riggs, of Lynmouth Drive, Sully, denied conning a friend by taking his old Rolex plus 10,000 for a diamond-encrusted one which wasn't genuine.

Riggs said: "I didn't believe it was a fake when I sold it to him. I had it on approval from a man I had known for 15 years and who I trusted. I made only 500."

Riggs said a second friend accusing him of deception hadn't even bought his 6,500 "fake" Yachtmaster Rolex from Band of Gold.

Riggs told the jury: "I only ever had it for repair - it was brought to me because it was losing time and then stopped altogether.

"I didn't know until after my arrest that it was counterfeit."

Riggs said two fake watches bought by garage owner Bernard Cody for his wife and daughter had been brought to Band of Gold by a rep and left for him to sell on.

Riggs told the court he had repaid Mr Cody after he complained and that he tried, but failed, to contact the rep.

Riggs said he did not cheat spinster Muriel Whitehouse out of a 40,000 diamond ring when she had to go into a nursing home.

He told the court that Ms Whitehouse had exchanged it at his shop for two other rings because her friends thought it was too ostentatious.

Riggs said: "They told her it was too big and after 12 months she said she wanted to trade it back."

Riggs said he had cared for Mrs Whitehouse for years.

He said the 40,000 ring went back into the Band of Gold shop window and was borrowed by his former wife for special occasions.

Riggs said his former wife took the ring with her when the couple split up.