Car dealer sentenced after selling woman faulty vehicle

Ian Blinkhorne, 51, of Elm Road, Stratford, was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to selling a potentially dangerous car under the pretence of a private seller.

He was sentenced at Nuneaton Magistrates after an investigation by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards.

The court heard that Blinkhorne advertised a Ford Ka for sale on Facebook, and that is was bought by a Leamington resident who needed a vehicle to do the school run.

After having problems, the woman took the car for an MOT test which it failed.

Trading Standards’ vehicle examiner identified a number of faults which made the car unsafe to drive including faulty power steering, seized brakes, excessive corrosion to the driver’s seat mounting and failed suspension.

The expert said that these faults affected the integrity of the vehicle and would have lessened its ability to withstand an impact should there have been an accident.

Investigations shod that Blinkhorne advertised 89 vehicles for sale on the website, Gumtree since February 2013.

He eventually gave the Ka owner a refund once Trading Standards became involved.

Blinkhorne pleaded guilty to advertising as a private seller and selling an unsafe vehicle. He was given a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,500.

Before sentencing, the court heard that he had shown remorse for the offences and understood the potential for harm and danger as a result.