Used Car Dealer Admits 41 Offences in Major Autotrader Mis-selling Case

Major Used Car Dealer Fraud Case Reaches Court

A Derby-based used car dealer has admitted to 41 separate offences relating to misleading customers through vehicle sales conducted primarily on Autotrader. The case highlights concerning practices within the used car sector and serves as a stark reminder to buyers about the importance of thorough vehicle checks.

The Charges and Business Operations

Sheeth Adam, 40, of Rykneld Road, Derby, pleaded guilty to all charges at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. The offences included carrying out business for a fraudulent purpose through his company Premium Car Sales (Burton) Limited, which also traded under the names Elite Car Sales and Castle Car Sales.

The prosecution stemmed from 16 separate complaints made to Staffordshire Trading Standards between August 2024 and March 2025. The total purchase price of the vehicles involved exceeded £26,000, with cars typically selling for between £950 and £2,500.

Dangerous Vehicles and Misleading Advertisements

Court proceedings revealed that two of the complaints involved vehicles that were subsequently deemed dangerous. A Dacia Sandero purchased by a customer in South Wales was found to have a long-term oil leak and contaminated brake fluid, rendering it unroadworthy upon independent examination.

Similarly, a Hyundai i30 was advertised as a well-maintained car with a full MOT but actually carried an undisclosed MOT advisory and was also classified as unroadworthy. Prosecutor Lucy Daniels told the court: "These ads would claim vehicles were well-maintained, clean cars that ticked all the boxes, which implied to the person viewing the ad they were in good condition and had valid MOTs."

Customer Experiences and Aggressive Behaviour

The court heard disturbing accounts of customer treatment when issues arose. Some vehicles developed problems or warning lights during the drive home, while others discovered their MOT certificates were invalid. When customers attempted to seek refunds, many found their phone numbers blocked and requests refused.

Ms Daniels described particularly concerning behaviour: "Further customers experienced aggressive behaviour when they said their car wasn't working; one disabled man was grabbed by one of the people working at the business, who tried to mishandle him into a small wooden shed. Another customer was told over the phone 'I won't give you s***, carry on and I'll rape your mum'."

Defence and Sentencing

Defence barrister Richard Bloomfield stated that Adam was "a man of previous good character" who had allowed others to run the business during periods when he was out of the country or hospitalised on six separate occasions. He suggested that commission-driven sales staff motivated the fraudulent practices.

For the three charges that magistrates could immediately sentence, Adam was fined £690 and ordered to pay a total of £966, including victim surcharge. The majority of charges have been committed to Stafford Crown Court for sentencing at a later date.

This case serves as an important reminder for used car buyers to always conduct independent vehicle inspections and verify MOT status directly through government databases before purchase.