Legal eagles swoop to win first case

LEGAL victory for Gareth Smith (left) and Craig Graham

LAW students Craig Graham and Gareth Smith have won their first case after taking on an international fashion chain.

They launched the David versus Goliath action when the H&M store in Oldham refused to refund Craig £47.99 for a faulty jacket.

The firm did not appear at Oldham County Court to contest the case and a judge ruled in default, awarding the 21-year-old a refund plus £40 for loss of earnings.

Craig, of Cheltenham Street, Derker, is studying law at Bolton University and hopes to specialise in employment and consumer law.

He teamed up with fellow student Gareth (21) from Bolton to prepare the case and said: “I bought the coat back in November.

“It ripped so I took it back to the store about five months later.

“They provided me with a voucher to get something else, but there was nothing else in the store which was the same because it was winter stock.

“I went back to the store, spoke to the manager and asked for a full refund, which they refused.”

He explained that stores have to refund or repair goods which develop a fault within six months.

“It was a last resort taking them to court, but it was the only way they would listen,” he added.

And Graham said: “Consumers should know their rights and stand up for them.

“Obviously big companies like H&M locally have an ignorance of what the law says.”

H&M did not comment.