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Jail for car clocking gang found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud (9 May 2017)

Date: 09/05/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Jail for car clocking gang found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud

Liverpool Crown Court has sentenced five men guilty of “car clocking”, whereby they altered the mileage on cars they sold to the public.

The individuals responsible for car clocking offences altered mileage by more than seven million miles, Trading Standards found.

Action was taken by Warrington and Halton councils in Lancashire, following a three-year investigation by Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Council’s Trading Standards departments – the largest probe of its kind carried out by the teams.

John Murphy, 67, of Conwy; Paul Arslanian, 38, of Conwy; Christopher Graham Lunt, 39, of Long Lane in Chester; Trevor Gareth Jones, 58, of Colwyn Bay; and Simon Richard Williams, 49, of Fluin Lane in Frodsham were handed sentences for conspiracy to commit fraud.

Murphy was given three years in prison; Arslanian, two years and three months in jail; Lunt, 20 months in prison; Williams 18 months in jail; and Jones, 15 months in jail.

The defendants worked for PCS Events Ltd – a Runcorn-based chauffeur services company which operated a widespread system of clocking the cars in their possession.

Regulatory services manager at Warrington Borough Council, Dave Watson, said:

“This successful prosecution is down to a meticulous investigation carried out over a number of years by Trading Standards – no stone was left unturned in building this case and it shows how Trading Standards are making a real difference in the fight against fraud.”

Halton Borough Council’s Trading Standards Manager, Deana Perchard, added:

“Rogue traders who cause serious detriment to consumers – and who use illegal means to gain competitive advantages over legitimate businesses – will always be a priority for enforcement action.

“The sentences issued by the court reflect the seriousness of the offences and the thoroughness of what was an incredibly complex investigation.”


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

The defendants sought to profit from the offence through selling vehicles which had previously been on lease hire for chauffeuring purposes. Subsequent sale prices of vehicles sold by the company were inflated, based upon the incorrect mileage reading.

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

The councils said a huge amount of evidence was gathered – including 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 supplied by PCS Events Ltd.

It was found that more than 100 vehicles had been involved and the minimum amount of clocking believed to have taken place is 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, Trading Standards officers also obtained evidence of links to Williams, who carried out MOT testing of clocked vehicles, producing documents which showed incorrect mileage.

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