A FORMER Halesowen Town chief executive has appeared in court charged with evasion of customs duty after counterfeit cigarettes with a retail value of around £5.3m were imported into the UK.

Guy Simpson appeared at Southampton Magistrates' Court in June charged with fraudulent evasion of duty chargeable on the fags – estimated to be in the region of £4.5m.

The case is ongoing and the 52-year-old businessman, of Flag Lane, Heath Charnock, Lancashire, is due to appear at Southampton Crown Court on September 10 to enter his plea.

The haul of more than 21 million counterfeit Regal brand cigarettes, wrapped in brown paper packages was discovered by UK Border Agency officers in two 40 foot containers.

The containers arrived by cargo vessel from China at Southampton Container Terminal last December.

Mr Simpson was brought into Halesowen Town by controversial boss Morrell Maison in January this year to assess the club's financial situation.

He acted as a club spokesman and initially enjoyed a positive relationship with supporters but this turned sour when it was revealed he knew the Yeltz had been barred from competing in this year's FA Cup and FA Trophy competitions but had not told fans.

It is believed he was relieved of his position at the club by Mr Maison last month.

Mr Simpson said he had enjoyed his time at Halesowen Town.

He added: “I worked for six months with the club and now don't work with it.

“I worked very hard for the club and wish the club all the best for the future – this is a totally unrelated matter.”

Mr Simpson ran a company A-Line Sports which supplied the Yeltz's kits last season. The firm has been dissolved.

The cigarettes have been shredded and burnt at a power station to fuel the national grid.