11:59 am, March 25, 2013
A DEALER from Brierley Hill in the West Midlands has been jailed for 12 months, after selling a ‘string’ of unroadworthy vehicles, according to the Stourbridge News.
Geoff Badlan – who traded vehicles both online and through garages in Dudley and Pensnett – was also hit with an ASBO, preventing him from ‘any involvement’ in the motor trade for the next decade. Breaching the order could mean a five year jail sentence.
Among the questionable vehicles sold was a Volkswagen Golf GTI – advertised by Badlan as being in ‘superb condition’ with just two past keepers. In reality, however, the GTI had a ‘catalogue of problems’ and a staggering 14 previous owners.
Another car – described simply as a Mercedes – was sold despite a ban of the sale of the vehicle from Trading Standards, who had already received a number of complaints and launched an investigation into the trader.
Officers were reportedly sent to Badlan’s business premises, where at least nine cars on sale were found to be in ‘extremely poor’ condition, and immediately given prohibited sale notices.
‘A number of distressed customers attended the sites while the officers were there,’ said Mark Jackson, prosecuting.
‘One lady became particularly distressed as she had attended to collect a courtesy car because the car Badlan sold her had broken down.’
Badlan pleased guilty to six charges uder the Road Traffic Act, along with sixteen offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, and two under the Companies Act.
Summing up, Judge Michael Challinor branded Badlan the ‘worst car trader in the borough’, and that a custodial sentence had to be given to ‘deter other unscrupulous [traders] who try to deceive members of the public.’
