Car dealer jailed for clocking 2.75m miles, defrauding £445,957 from sales

A Hampshire-based car dealer has been sentenced to 45 months in prison after being found guilty of fraudulently altering the mileage of 32 second-hand vehicles, totalling 2,750,000 miles, before selling them to unsuspecting garages. Ashley Wilson, 27, from Fareham, was convicted at Portsmouth Crown Court, where he was also sentenced to an additional 12 months for breaching a prior suspended sentence. The fraudulent sales amounted to £445,957.

Hampshire County Council trading standards officers conducted the investigation that led to Wilson’s conviction. A local authority spokesperson explained that Wilson had not only altered the mileages on the vehicles but had also falsified their service histories to conceal the significant reduction in mileage. In total, 33 vehicles were sold fraudulently to legitimate car dealers throughout the UK via various online dealer trading platforms.

Councillor Russell Oppenheimer, the council’s cabinet member responsible for trading standards, commented on the case: “This is a great result for consumers who have been protected by Hampshire Trading Standards from the illegal activities of an individual who contrived to sell on second-hand cars dishonestly through legitimate traders.”

Oppenheimer emphasised the seriousness of car clocking, a criminal activity that can impact anyone purchasing a used vehicle in the second-hand market. Consumers may end up paying more than the market price and face unexpected repair costs due to the car having more miles on the clock than advertised.

To avoid falling victim to such schemes, Oppenheimer advised potential buyers to carry out precautionary checks, regardless of the seller’s identity. These checks could include using the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s free online vehicle checker, reviewing the car’s MOT history on GOV.UK, or obtaining an independent report on the car’s condition. Taking these measures can help reveal any issues before committing to a purchase.