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Dealer sold Mercedes that had been written off, court told

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Time 8:31 am, July 28, 2014

scales-of-justice-gavel_4A CAR dealer has told to pay more than £7,000 after selling an unsafe Mercedes from his garage in Christchurch, Dorset, the Daily Echo newspaper has reported.

Simon Bentley, who previously traded as Barrack Road Car Sales, pleaded guilty to a charge of selling an unroadworthy car and another of misleading advertising at Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that in August 2013, Bentley sold a Mercedes-Benz C180 which had in actual fact been written off, and not adequately repaired.


The new owner took the car for an oil change only to be told that the anti-roll bar had been removed.

Dorset County Council’s trading standards department had revealed that Bentley had instructed an independent garage to remove the part, which was damaged.

The defect meant ‘danger was likely to be caused to any person in the vehicle or on the road,’ trading standards said.


The Echo reported that Bentley,  24, of Littledown Avenue, Bournemouth, also told the car’s buyer the vehicle had had one previous keeper when in fact it had had three.

Bentley was fined £250 on each of the two offences and ordered to pay £4,000 compensation, £2,564 costs and a victim surcharge of £60.

 

Dave Brown's avatar

Dave, production editor on Car Dealer Magazine, is a journalist with more than 30 years' experience in the worlds of newspapers, magazines and public relations.



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