A 49-year-old man who sold unlicensed and counterfeit medicines through an illegal online pharmacy has been sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Martin Simon Hickman was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to six counts of selling and supplying fake and unlicensed medicines, and money laundering to the sum of £1.4million.

The MHRA called the case one of the biggest of its kind to date.

Mr Hickman used businesses including the online pharmacy to sell unlicensed and counterfeit medicines for erectile dysfunction throughout the UK and abroad.

Records obtained during an MHRA raid of his property showed the businesses turned over more than £6million between 2003 and 2007.

One folder entitled “Thick People File” contained orders for medicinal products that had not been processed due to insufficient customer detail.

Mick Deats, MHRA head of enforcement, said: “Mr Hickman has substantially benefitted financially from this unlawful trade.”

“He is not a healthcare professional, in fact, he is not professional in any way, shape or form,” he added.