A BURNLEY motor dealer who bought a car with 140,000 miles on the clock sold it just days later with almost half the recorded mileage, a court heard.

Christopher Dean Spokes bought the L-registered Audi estate car for £3,000 and sold it a few days later for £3,700 with the mileage 73,000.

Spokes, 35, self employed of The Grange, Marsden Road, Burnley, admitted applying a false trade description of the car and to supplying goods to which a false description applied at Reedley Magistrates Court.

He was granted a conditional discharge for 12 months in each case.

Spokes was also ordered to pay £565 compensation to the man who bought the car and £480 costs incurred by the Trading Standards department who prosecuted.

Nicholas McNamara told the court Spokes bought the car on August 15 and the car was advertised in the Auto Trader with 80,000 miles on the clock.

It was bought by Keith Morris from Wales for £3,700.

He queried the discrepancy between the 73,000 miles on the clock and was told the 80,000 in the advert was a mistake.

He said Mr Morris checked with the previous owner who told him the reading was 140,000 when he sold it and that the odometer was working correctly.

He then contacted Spokes who immediately offered a refund of £500, said Mr McNamara.

He added: "It could be said that Mr Morris lost out two ways.

"He did not get what he had bargained for.

"The car had done twice the mileage he thought, meaning that repairs were more likely and that he could have been deprived of four or five years use of the vehicle."

Basil Dearing, defending, said Spokes now only worked two days a week helping out at Burnley Car Auctions.

When he bought the car he found it had a defective speedometer and he had a replacement one fitted which showed a reading of 73,000.

The mistake in the advert indicated he had no intention to deceive as it would immediately raise suspicions.

On the receipt for payment for the car he had specifically written "mileage not warranted".

Mr Dearing said Spokes denied offering the refund and added: "He says that Mr Morris still got a bargain."