Head of Trading Standards scoops top award
Published: 2 December 2024
Ian Tucker from Redbridge Council's Trading Standards Team has landed a prestigious award.
Ian recently received his award at the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) Excellence Awards, which celebrate individuals who have significantly contributed to protecting intellectual property rights in the UK.
Intellectual property crime is wide-ranging and covers the misuse and theft of trademarks, brands, designs and copyright material.
Ian’s award was for his crucial role in an operation stopping the illegal distribution of TV content. As part of the operation, Ian helped identify and shut down the unlawful streaming of sports content, including Premier League football games, on domestic and licensed premises.
This enforcement activity, led by Ian, serves the wider community by preventing potential rises in subscription costs due to companies compensating for revenue loss from illicit streamers. Ian's work directly benefits the community by ensuring fair access to content and reasonable subscription rates.
With a career spanning 24 years at Redbridge Council, Ian has demonstrated his commitment to protecting intellectual property rights. Starting as an Enforcement Officer, he became a qualified Trading Standards Officer and now leads the Trading Standards Team. His previous work includes leading cases involving counterfeit electrical equipment, resulting in convictions and removing 50,000 unsafe electrical items from the market.
Speaking about his award, Ian said: "Although I was personally nominated for this award, the case it relates to was all about collaboration. By working closely with Barking and Dagenham Council, FACT, and Sky’s investigators and lawyers, we gathered the necessary evidence to shut down these illegal streaming activities. I'm pleased that we have also helped to provide a level playing field for the many law-abiding business owners who pay their subscriptions to broadcast content.’’
Hayley Roberts, Group Manager, Community & Consumer Protection, CCTV, Licensing, said: ''This award is a credit to Ian Tucker and all the hours of hard work and dedication that led to the successful conclusion of this complex case. Trading Standards is a wonderfully diverse profession, and this prosecution highlights the depth of skills and experience needed to bring criminals to justice.’’
