A CAR dealer fined £10,000 for selling an unroadworthy £400 Skoda Felicia Estate in an undercover sting by trading standards has lost an appeal against his conviction.
In May last year Akmal Riaz – who ran A R Motors in Princethorpe – was found guilty of two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008; one relating to providing a receipt stating the vehicle was sold as seen and the other to placing a deceptive Ebay advertisement.
He also pleaded guilty at Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court to one offence under The Companies Act 2006 of providing a receipt that did not include his name.
The 44-year-old, of Astley Lane Bedworth, unsuccessfully challenged his conviction at Coventry Crown Court last Friday, but did get the £5,000 costs element of his fine halved after he claimed they were not just or reasonable.
An expert vehicle examiner employed by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service identified eight problems in the £400 car sold by Riaz, who has since moved the dealership to Lockhurst Lane Coventry, which made it dangerous to drive.
They included missing nuts which made the front suspension insecure, wearing on the rubber brake pipe, damage to the rear exhaust and drive shaft gaitor, and corrosion to the metal brake pipes.
The dealership was also briefly based in Southam near Leamington.
