A COLD caller has been fined £495 for selling small goods door-to-door without a certificate.

Ryan Steele, 24 from Stockton-on-Tees pleaded guilty to acting as a Pedlar without a Pedlars Certificate when he appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on December 6.

The court heard that on November 14, Steele had been seen going around Newnham village calling at several houses offering cleaning products for sale from a large holdall bag.

Steele was caught when residents contacted the police to alert them of the 24-year-olds activities.

When officers arrived on the scene Steele was unable to produce a valid Pedlars Certificate which can be purchased from the Police for £12.25 after various checks have been completed.

The Magistrates imposed a total fine including charges of £495 for the offence.

PC Andrew Reid, the officer in the case said: “This was an excellent result and hopefully will send a message to people who unlawfully cold call on people’s homes, predominately the elderly and vulnerable in our communities, who may well be at home during the day, offering goods for sale.

“I am aware that a resident purchased an item that was not wanted purely to get him away from the front door and off the property.

“If residents have such people calling at their door and they do not wish to purchase items please say no thank you and call 101.

“Sadly such people will call on the rural villages and may well produce a piece of paper with 'Hawkers Certificate' displayed, they do however need to have a Pedlars Certificate which will have the issuing Police Force details to be lawful.”