TWO car dealers have each been fined £5,000 after selling a dangerous vehicle.
Nigel Rees, of Carnwidden Livery, Longdowns, Penryn and Ian Lewis of West Trevarth Barn, Lanner, Redruth, were convicted of selling a dangerously unroadworthy car, contrary to the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, the Western Morning News reported.
Truro magistrates heard that Rees and Lewis had an arrangement under which Rees would buy salvage vehicles from insurance firms and sell them on, the newspaper reported. Lewis was sometimes involved in carrying out repairs and helping to make the sale.
The case at Truro Magistrates’ Court related to the sale of a Mitsubishi Pajero, which had been advertised for sale on the side of a road. Someone paid £650 for the vehicle but later found it had ‘serious defects’.
The Western Morning News said the car had to be scrapped after a several serious faults were discovered. The car had defective hoses and severe chassis corrosion.
Rees and Lewis denied they had been responsible for the sale but both were found guilty and fined £5,000 each.
They were also ordered to pay costs of £3,400, compensation of £400 and a £200 victim surcharge.
Gary Webster, a senior trading standards officer in Cornwall, told the Western Morning News: ‘I am pleased that the magistrates appreciated the severity of the offence, which was reflected in the level of the fines imposed.
‘I hope this sends a clear message to those in the motor trade that safety is of paramount importance, irrespective of the value of the vehicle.’
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