Car dealer ordered to pay £2,800

It's after for selling an unroadworthy vehicle to an undercover Trading Standards Officer.

Mr Graham Ray Inston, trading as GI Autos, Wigston Hill, Baxterley Atherstone has been successfully prosecuted for selling an unroadworthy vehicle to an undercover Trading Standards Officer.

Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service brought the prosecution after carrying out checks on the roadworthiness of vehicles on sale across the county.

Using intelligence gathered from consumers, Trading Standards Officers made an undercover visit to Gi Autos and purchased a Peugeot 206. The vehicle had been advertised in a national car buyer magazine as ‘in very nice condition, looks and drives great with a full service history’.

The vehicle was subsequently inspected by an expert vehicle examiner who concluded that the car was unroadworthy. He identified a number of faults:

• Defective brakes – front brakes discs were in poor condition and the brake pads were worn out
• The load sensing valve on the braking system was completely seized
• Nearside front suspension bottom ball joint cover had failed and was allowing the ingress of dirt resulting in excessive play
• Insecure battery
• Severe engine oil leak
• Gearbox leak
• Failed exhaust mounting bracket
• Severely corroded fuel tank support strap, and
• Defective number plate light

Mr Inston also provided a receipt to the undercover officer that failed to clearly state the name and address of the trader, thus making it more difficult for any consumer to contact the business if things later went wrong with the vehicle.

Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said:

“It is completely unacceptable for car dealers to carry out few if any checks on the roadworthiness of the cars they sell, before putting them up for sale.”

“Car dealers must ensure that the vehicles they sell are both legal and roadworthy; not to do so risks putting the lives of all road users at risk.”

“Warwickshire Trading Standards will continue to take action to prevent the sale of unroadworthy vehicles and protect the car buying public.”

“Consumers can also take their own precautions by following our used car buyers top tips.”

At Nuneaton Magistrates Court on Tuesday 7th January 2020 Graham Ray Inston, (aged 54 of Wigston Hill Baxterley Atherstone) trading as GI Autos pleaded guilty of three offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Companies Act 2006.

On Tuesday 14th January 2020 at Nuneaton Magistrates Court Mr Inston was fined £552 and ordered to pay costs of £2218 and a victim surcharge of £30.

In mitigation, Mr Inston had no previous convictions and was given credit for entering a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.