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Five found guilty in 7.5 million mile “car clocking” fraud (1 March 2017)

Date: 01/03/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Five found guilty in 7.5 million mile “car clocking” fraud

A Trading Standards investigation has led to five individuals being convicted of operating a widespread system of clocking cars in their possession.

The defendants – who work for a Runcorn-based chauffeur services company PCS Events Ltd – were found guilty to have been responsible for car clocking offences amounting to more than seven million miles.

At Chester Crown Court, John Murphy, 67; Paul Arslanian, 38; Christopher Graham Lunt, 39; Trevor Gareth Jones, 58 and Simon Richard Williams, 49, were all been found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud.

In total, seven individuals were prosecuted for conspiracy to commit fraud in the case – all pleaded “not guilty”, with Lunt subsequently changing his plea to guilty. A further two defendants – Laura Jayne Murphy and Kevin Paul Batty – were acquitted of the charges.

The prosecution argued that the defendants had carried out the widespread clocking of cars “behind the veneer of respectability of the company” and that “those who manipulate the mileage of a motor vehicle prior to its onwards sale to a third party can, we say, have only one purpose in mind. It is to deceive and to defraud.”

The jury reached the verdict following a six-week trial – sentencing is scheduled for 17 March 2017 at Liverpool Crown Court.

Warrington and Halton Trading Standards began investigating in 2013, after receiving information of alleged fraud and consumer protection offences, relating to the turning back of mileages on vehicles obtained by the company.

The defendants sought to profit from the offence, as vehicles which were subsequently sold had their sale prices inflated based upon the incorrect mileage reading.

Warrington and Halton Trading Standards began work on the case while operating as a joint service – although now two separate teams, the councils continued to work together to bring the case to conclusion.

Evidence gathered included the cross referencing of fuel records for vehicles, examining finance and warranty work records and recording the accounts of people who had purchased “clocked” vehicles.

It was found that more than 100 vehicles had been clocked, with evidence of these vehicles dating from 2008 to 2014.

The minimum amount of clocking believed to have taken place was 7.5 million miles.

As well as gathering evidence against Murphy, Arslanian, Lunt and Jones for altering the mileage of cars in the possession of PCS Events Ltd, the investigation by Trading Standards officers also revealed links to Williams who carried out MOT testing of clocked vehicles, producing documents which showed incorrect mileage.

Warrington Borough Council’s executive board member for public protection, Councillor Judith Guthrie, said:

“The successful prosecution of fraud on this scale is a huge success story for our trading standards team. Building this case and bringing it to trial has taken three years of meticulous, painstaking work and dedication. It sends out a clear message, once again, that if you carry out fraudulent activity, we will take action against you.”

Halton Borough Council’s Exec Board Member for Community Safety, Cllr Dave Cargill, added:

“This investigation, carried out in partnership, is the biggest investigation of its kind that either has carried out. It’s fantastic news that, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated officers, successful action has been taken against this widespread fraud that has been committed for a number of years.”

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