A FRAUDSTER who 'bought' luxury cars on finance deals before defaulting on the payments and illegally selling them on has avoided a jail sentence.

Abdul Jabar Khan, 39, pleaded guilty to two offences of stealing a BMW 7 Series, worth £47,000 and an Audi RS6 worth £32,000 in 2014 and 2015.

Preston Crown Court was told that Khan had purchased the BMW from Bowker signing a finance deal with Black Horse Finance, part of the Lloyds group.

Prosecuting, Claire Larton said that Khan paid a cash deposit of £1,000 and had taken out finance of £52,174.56 which was to be repaid over a four-year period.

Ms Larton said: "These monthly payments went immediately to default and went unpaid for a number of months.

"Mr Khan did in fact make two payments of £3,000, but the vehicle address was changed, and Mr Khan's address was changed a number of times.

"The registration number of the BMW was also changed without the authority of the finance company and a new keeper was registered with the DVLA which was in breach of the contract.

"Lastly, the vehicle was taken to Malta, and has never been recovered."

Ms Larton added that a similar set of events happened with the Audi, but this vehicle was recovered and sold at auction with finance company, Close Brothers, making a loss of £9,556.

Judge Beverley Lunt said: "These are offences of great age and antiquity. Finance companies are entitled not to be defrauded.

"It's been four years since the offences and has taken a long time to come to court.

"In that time you have put your life back together and you are working full time and are trying to rebuild your reputation.

"Taking into account the two vehicles – one was recovered and one remains outstanding.

"There was no sophistication to these offences either."

Khan, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for six months.