Repair fees mechanic is found guilty
A Black Country mechanic has been found guilty of charging for car repairs that were never carried out.
A Black Country mechanic has been found guilty of charging for car repairs that were never carried out.
Michael Blackstock, aged 44, from Throne Road, Rowley Regis who runs MB Spares and Repairs in Cradley Heath was yesterday convicted of fraud by false representation, engaging in misleading commercial practice and failing to give enforcement officers information by magistrates in Warley.
He was found not guilty on two counts of aggressive trading practices.The court heard he had charged £800 for work, however an expert witnesses said it had never taken place.
Mrs Julia Lynch, prosecuting on behalf of Sandwell Council, said Mrs Juliann Baggott took her BMW 318 to the car wash at the garage on December 2, 2008 and it was discovered she had a fluid leak.
She collected the car on December 4 and took £300 in cash with her, unaware of how much the repairs would cost. The bill came to £800 with the receipt stating the crank and piston rod, timing chain tensioner and pump had been replaced.
However, Mrs Baggott said when she offered to pay part cash and part by card, Blackstock refused to let her and demanded a full cash payment.On January 16, 2009 magistrates heard the clutch of the car went.
A different mechanic examined the car and said it didn't look like the work had been carried out.Mechanical expert Mr Patrick Barnsley who was asked by Trading Standards to examine the vehicle said in his opinion the work stated on the receipt had not been carried out.
He said it would have been impossible to carry out parts of the work without removing the engine, and in his opinion the engine had never been removed.Giving evidence yesterday Blackstock, who was representing himself admitted that the receipt was inaccurate and said his mechanic had replaced the oil pump, replaced the timing chain and tensioner and cleaned the crank and piston rod – all of which could be carried out without removing the engine.
He said Mrs Baggott was told she could pay by cash or card, but he would only accept a cheque if she agreed to leave the car at the garage until the cheque cleared. He added he put no pressure on the couple and had never acted aggressively.
He added: "With what we did we never needed to take the engine out. The only thing that's wrong is the way that the receipt has been stated," he added, which he blamed on his receptionist.
Presiding magistrate Mr Keith Barnfield, said: "We are of the overwhelming opinion that when a customer takes their vehicle to a mechanic they are entitled to be sure that it will be returned to them in a safe condition. In this case it is accepted that the receipt was at best misleading if not entirely fictitious."
Blackstock was fined £1,000, ordered to pay costs of £1,000, £500 compensation and a £15 victim surcharge.1
