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| Coronavirus: Frank Ludlow admits selling fake cures to the US | Coronavirus: Frank Ludlow admits selling fake cures to the US |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A man has pleaded guilty to selling fake coronavirus cure kits to people in France and the United States. | |
| Frank Ludlow, 59, was caught by City of London Police trying to send dozens of parcels of fake remedies in a post office near his West Sussex home. | Frank Ludlow, 59, was caught by City of London Police trying to send dozens of parcels of fake remedies in a post office near his West Sussex home. |
| Judge William Mousley said father-of-two Ludlow contacted national governments and "took advantage of an international crisis". | |
| Ludlow was given a suspended 10-month sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court. | Ludlow was given a suspended 10-month sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court. |
| American custom officials intercepted Ludlow's fake kits at Los Angeles International Airport, with his "Trinity Covid-19 SARS Antipathogenic Treatment" labels attached. | |
| Ludlow's address was also found by customs officers who alerted City of London Police on 23 March. | |
| Hours later, officers went to a post office in Petersfield, Hampshire, to ask for a description of the person who had been sending the packages. | |
| The court heard while officers were talking to staff Ludlow walked in with more packages addressed to France, Shoreham and New York. | |
| Prosecutor Steven Hopper said: "Mr Ludlow admitted to making the product and had been making it for 17 years. | |
| "Despite saying his cures had had not been officially tested, Mr Ludlow told police he was confident it took out 'all viral infections'." | |
| Ludlow "made elaborate claims" about wanting to make 1,000 kits a week and he sent a message to a friend saying "Thank god for Covid-19", Mr Hopper added. | |
| Defence barrister Ben Smitten said Ludlow had spent time in custody and while in lockdown was only allowed out one hour a day. |