A MOTOR dealer who knocked more than 1.5million miles off the clocks of used cars in East Lancashire continued to sell vehicles with doctored mileage readings while court proceedings were being taken against him.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Haroon Chaudrey, 45, was handed an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, in August 2015 after pleading guilty to knowingly operating a second-hand motor vehicle business for a fraudulent purpose .

In relation to that case Chaudrey, of Montague Street, Brierfield, admitted being involved in clocking 14 cars, knocking an average of 90,000 miles off the odometer readings between March 2011 and April 2014.

After a proceeds of crime hearing Judge Graham Knowles ordered Chaudrey to pay back £187,515 or face two years in jail, which he had failed to do by November of last year. As a result of that he was sent to prison but was released after six weeks after he settled the amount.

But Chaudrey was back before the courts after Lancashire Trading Standards brought a new case against him in relation to four cars he sold during and after the 2015 proceedings had taken place.

Prosecuting the latest case, Jack Troup said: “The Crown’s case is that, between April – September 2015, the defendant advertised for sale four used cars described as having lower mileage readings than was true.

“Three of the cars were sold to purchasers who were not informed that the odometer readings had been reduced. Vehicle number four was advertised with a mileage reading of 100,000. But, after paying a deposit, the purchaser discovered that the true reading was at least 178,761, so she cancelled the deal and demanded a refund of her deposit, which remains unpaid.”

The court heard the first car, a Volkswagen Passat , was sold to a man named Darryl Cox, who had seen it advertised on Autotrader as ten-year-old car with a mileage of 98,000. The price was £2,250. After purchasing the car Mr Cox was carrying out a service on it when he called the garage which had previously carried out work on it he found the true mileage was 191,000.

As part of the deal, Mr Cox had traded in his Passat for an allowance of £750. That car was showing 213,000 when sold on May 19, 2015.

But when that car was sold to consumer Jason Moss the following months its mileage was advertised as being 111,000.

A third Passat was sold to consumer Donald Vincent and ‘04 model with 108,000 miles showing. But its true mileage was 166,000.

Chaudrey pleaded guilty to knowingly participating in a fraudulent business.

He was given a 15 months sentence, suspended for 24 months. He must also pay £2,345 costs and £2,100 compensation.