A WOMAN who was convicted of selling counterfeit goods on the internet has stressed the crime had nothing to do with the charity set up in memory of her dead son.

Lorraine Parsons, 30, received a suspended nine-month sentence after being found guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Her husband Andy, 47, was jailed for 16 months after admitting selling the goods, which were mainly trainers, on auction site eBay, and co-defendant Marc Hogarth, 39, received a six-month suspended sentence.

The Parsons, of Evelyn Road, Winton, raised more than £60,000 for an ambulance for Southampton General Hospital after their son Alfie, 13 months, died three years ago, and Lorraine told the Echo her charity work would go on.

She also stressed that, even though an eBay account set up in Alfie's name was one of those used to sell the fake items, this was done before he died.

"This is not about my son," she said.

"It all started four years ago. Alfie died three years ago. The eBay account was in use before Andy started selling fake trainers and before Alfie died.

"We had eBay accounts in our other children's names. It did continue after Alfie died because we weren't working, we had been living in a hospital for two months and we had no income."

"It sounds like we did it because we thought we wouldn't be caught because Alfie was dead, but it was never like that."

Lorraine added she did not want people to think her husband was "a monster".

She said: "I'm not here to defend my husband, but he loved his son more than anything and he's a wonderful father and husband. He's raised money for charity and he's set up a successful chauffeur business and he works long, hard hours.

"We've paid back £45,000 through a civil court - my husband has been working hard for three years to clear this mistake."

Lorraine is adamant the conviction will not stop her charity work and is already planning another big event for next June.

She added: "Why should Southampton General Hospital suffer and not get money? My husband going to prison is nothing to do with my charity work."