Stourbridge car dealer sold 'dangerous and unroadworthy' car which left woman stranded
A Stourbridge car dealer who sold a “dangerous and unroadworthy” vehicle for £3,500 has appeared in court, after the vehicle left the driver stranded in a supermarket car park.
Khizar Bukhari, director of SOR Motors Ltd trading as The Motor Store, described the Mercedes ML350 as being in “mint condition” in an advert for car magazine Autotrader.
But an independent expert called in by Dudley Trading Standards ruled a “dangerous fault” with the power steering would have made it “almost impossible to safely negotiate a bend”.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that after purchasing the car, the buyer complained of rust on the bodywork and rainwater leaking in.
She was left stranded on a supermarket car park when a fault with the automatic gear system meant she was unable to move, and got back in touch with the dealer to request a refund.
Bukhari, also known as “Callum”, refused the request and the buyer enlisted the help of Dudley Trading Standards, the court heard.
The Dudley Council team called in an independent vehicle expert, who concluded that “the vehicle was in a dangerous and unroadworthy condition” when sold by Bukhari in October 2021.
Among a number of faults found, the court was also told the expert concluded that the handbrake system was “defective and inoperative”.
Bukhari, of Birmingham Street in Stourbridge, pleaded guilty to fraud, selling a dangerous vehicle and to contravening the requirements of professional diligence at court on Monday.
Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member responsible for trading standards at Dudley Council, said: "Dudley Trading Standards will not tolerate traders who evade their responsibilities and risk people’s lives by putting dangerous vehicles on the road.
"Traders who expose consumers to risk of harm by selling unroadworthy vehicles will be investigated and are likely to face prosecution."
The sentencing hearing will take place at Wolverhampton Crown Court on September 8.
