9:12 am, February 6, 2025
A corrupt car dealer is facing jail after abusing his position as a salesman to pocket more than £40,000 in a prolonged campaign of fraud.
Joe McStein stole tens of thousands of pounds while working at the now defunct Evans Halshaw Ford Northwich back in 2023.
The scam saw the sales executive using his own bank account to bag money which had been paid by customers for cars.
The illegal operation was uncovered when one transaction was flagged by insiders, sparking an investigation into McStein’s sales.
Upon further inspection, it was discovered that the 29-year-old had been running the scam for months, benefitting to the tune of £40,933.67 between August and December, 2023.
He was fired from his position as a result and last week appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court, where he admitted to fraud by false representation.
The Northwich Guardian reports that he will now be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on March 14 after deputy district judge, Owen Jones, ruled that his own sentencing powers were ‘insufficient’.
Shockingly, the allegations were not the only fraud case hanging over McStein, of Vogan Avenue, Crosby.
Yesterday (Feb 5) he appeared at Sefton Magistrates’ Court, to plead guilty to a further 11 counts of fraud, also linked to the motor trade.
The complainant in that case was Williams Group BMW Liverpool and he will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court charges on March 5.
