Five found guilty of ‘clocking’ cars
FIVE workers from a Runcorn chauffeur services firm have been convicted for a car clocking conspiracy that involved hiding at least 7.5 million miles of use.
John Murphy, 67, and Paul Arslanian, 38, both from Conwy; Christopher Graham Lunt, 39, of Long Lane, Chester; Trevor Gareth Jones, 58, of Colwyn Bay, and Simon Richard Williams, 49, of Fluin Lane, Frodsham, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud at Chester Crown Court after a six-week trial.
The case followed a three-year Trading Standards investigation by Halton and Warrington councils, the biggest of its kind carried out by them.
The men were found guilty of operating a widespread system of clocking the cars in their possession.
Trading Standards investigators began their inquiry in 2013 after receiving information of alleged fraud and consumer protection offences, relating to the turning back of mileages on vehicles obtained by the company.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesman said the vehicles were subsequently sold with inflated sales prices based on false mileages.
He said the huge amount of evidence gathered included cross- referencing of fuel records for vehicles, examining finance and warranty wo r k records and recording the accounts of buyers of ‘c l o c k e d ’ vehicles.
More than 100 vehicles had been clocked, with evidence dating from 2008 to 2014 and removing a minimum of 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, the investigation by Trading Standards officers also ● revealed links to Williams, who carried out MOT testing of clocked vehicles, producing documents with incorrect mileage.
Companies House documents show that Aslanian’s position as director was terminated on Friday. Cllr Dave Cargill, of Halton Borough Council, said: “This investigation, carried out, in par t n e rship, is the biggest investigation of its kind that either has carried out.
“It’s fantastic news that, thanks to the efforts of our dedicated officers’ successful action has been taken against this widespread fraud, that has been committed for a number of years.”
Cllr Judith Guthrie, Warrington Borough Council’s executive board member for public protection, said: “The successful prose- cution of fraud on this scale is a huge success story for our Trading Standards team.
“Building this case and bringing it to trial has taken three years of meticulous, painstaking work and dedication. It sends out a clear message, once again, that if you carry out fraudulent activity, we will take action against you.”
Prosecutors Richard Pratt QC and Nicola Miles said that the defendants carried out the widespread clocking of cars ‘behind the veneer of respectability of the company’, adding: “Those who manipulate the mileage of a motor vehicle prior to its onwards sale to a third party can, we say, have only one purpose in mind. It is to deceive and to defraud.”
Seven individuals were prosecuted for conspiracy to commit fraud in the case.
All pleaded not guilty, with Lunt subsequently changing his plea to guilty.
Two, Laura Jayne Murphy, of Long Lane, Chester, and Kevin Paul Batty, of Sutton, in Craven, North Yorkshire, were acquitted.
Sentencing is due to take place on March 17 at Liverpool Crown Court.