IN PICTURES: Boss of Black Country garage which sold car in danger of exploding jailed

The Lyde Green Motor Centre in Cradley sold cars which had numerous faults, including problems with brakes and steering, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

One car had the potential to explode, such was its dangerous state.

The faults became clear almost immediately after they were purchased and buyers were then 'given the runaround' as they tried to recoup thousands of pounds they had paid for them, the court was told.

Company director Mohammed Khabeer was jailed for a year after admitting six offences relating to unfair trading. Recorder Barry Berlin told him he 'must have known' about the dangerous condition the cars were in. Khabeer, aged 39, had previously been jailed for more than 30 offences relating to clocking cars. The recorder said Khabeer had not learned his lesson. The company, which is no longer trading, was also fined £21,000.

The court heard complaints were made by two customers relating to a BMW X5 and a Saab which were purchased from the dealership on Lyde Green in December 2014.

The BMW was bought for £12,800 and had numerous faults including with the brakes and seatbelts. The seats were loose, the headlights weren't working and the electrics were faulty. The warning lights appeared on the dashboard as soon as the car was started, the court was told.

The Saab was in an even worse state. It pulled to the left and on further examination the suspension was found to be badly corroded, which Recorder Berlin said could have led to complete failure. He also said problems with its exhaust meant carbon dioxide could have got into the passenger well and that the battery was insecure which meant there was a 'potential for explosion'. The buyer paid £1,900 which included a warranty but it turned out to be useless as the car was already faulty when sold.

The buyer of the BMW was turned away when he tried to get a refund for his unroadworthy car, while another did manage to get his money back but only after being 'given the runaround'.

Sunit Sandhu, defending Khabeer, of Madison Avenue, Hodgehill, Birmingham, said the cars were bought by the company with MOT certificates and that hundreds of other cars had been sold without any complaints.

But Recorder Berlin said even someone with 'even the most rudimentary' understanding would have realised the cars were faulty. He said the cars when 'in an appalling state and the people who bought them treated in an appalling way'.

He added: "Two cars were both dangerous and unroadworthy. You or your company ought to have or, in my judgement, would have known about it, and you sold them to make a profit.

"I don't accept that you lack responsibility for what occurred in relation to these two vehicles. You put them on the road. They were dangerous cars and could have killed a child."