Sardar Rassa was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence after tests commissioned by Islington Council revealed “serious safety issues”.
The shipment was made up of 600 children’s scooters, 140 adult scooters, 180 e-scooters and 54 e-bikes – all of which were deemed to be non-compliant, as a sample failed to pass tests.
Unsafe e-scooters and e-bikes are one of London’s fastest growing fire risks due to the lithium batteries used to power them, which can catch fire or even explode if they are badly designed or are not charged safely.
The products imported by Mr Rassa were flagged at a port in Suffolk in November 2021, when an initial test revealed safety failings.
Hundreds of imported scooters were seized by Islington Council’s trading standards team
Despite being advised to return the goods to China, Mr Rassa insisted they were legally compliant.
The enforcement authorities released the consignment, which was moved to a storage facility in Islington.
But once the products had arrived in London, the borough’s trading standards team ordered that the stock be suspended until the products were shown to be safe. The suspension meant they could not be moved without informing the council.
The council claims Mr Rassa failed to conduct any safety testing, contrary to his legal responsibilities.
It said testing it commissioned revealed “serious safety issues”, ranging from improper labelling to critical component failures.
The 243 e-scooters and scooters still in storage were seized by trading standards officers. It is not known what Mr Rassa did with the remaining stock.
Mr Rassa was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on January 6 after pleading guilty as director of Rassa Bikes and Scooters Limited to 12 offences relating to product safety failings and suspension notice breaches.
Cllr Angelo Weekes, the council’s executive member for community safety, said: “Unsafe e-scooters can pose a real danger, and we have zero tolerance for unsafe products in Islington.
“We take tough action to protect our residents and ensure their safety. Thanks to the hard work of our trading standards and legal services teams, this importer has been held to account.”
