AN alleged conman made more than £1m from selling thousands of fake signed football shirts by stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo so he could live a luxury lifestyle, a court heard today.
David Rennie spent nine years selling more than 4,500 shirts, balls and boots through his business FA Premier Signings that were said to have been autographed by superstars who also included Wayne Rooney, it is alleged.
The 46-year-old, who ran the business from his home in Banbury, Oxfordshire, claimed to customers that his 'team' spent hours on end hanging around football club training grounds waiting for players to sign the items.
Rennie bought the replica shirts and balls from shops like Sports Direct and used a Sharpie marker pen to forge the signatures, a Bournemouth Crown Court jury was told.
In total he is alleged to have sold 200 Messi-related items, 272 items 'signed' by Real Madrid star Ronaldo, 335 bearing Liverpool's Steven Gerrard's signature and 220 with Wayne Rooney's name.
Rennie sold the items for up to £700 each.
Trading Standards were contacted by a rival sports memorabilia dealer, who counts Wayne Rooney as a client, after he became suspicious of some of the items.
In February 2016 officials made a test purchase of a Wayne Rooney shirt for £150 and realised the signature was fake, the court heard.
Rennie denies running a fraudulent business.
The trial continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article