A Nottingham trader who previously pleaded guilty to mis-describing vehicles has been ordered to pay over £450,000 at a recent confiscation hearing under a Proceeds of Crime ruling.

Jatvinder Singh was the sole proprietor of Quality Motor Salvage operating from CMEC Business Park, Alfreton Road Nottingham. The company sold total loss insurance salvage vehicles. Trading Standards investigated the company after receiving numerous complaints, and identified four vehicles that had been mis-described in relation to damage sustained, mileage, insurance ‘write off’ category or accessories included in the sale.

Mr Singh pleaded guilty to 16 charges under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 at a court hearing on 18 July 2007. The case was adjourned for sentencing and on 21 September 2007 and due to having previous similar convictions, Mr Singh was sentenced to five months imprisonment for each charge (to run concurrently). During that hearing Nottinghamshire Police, working in partnership with Trading Standards, requested confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The Confiscation Hearing took place at a two day hearing on 30 June and 1 July in Nottingham Crown Court. Judge Tear ruled for the prosecution and found that Mr Singh had benefited from his criminal conduct to the sum of £3.3 million, had realisable assets of £454,425. Mr Singh was ordered to pay the £454,425 within six months or face a custodial sentence of three years in default. Compensation was also awarded to two of the victims.

Caraline Ryan, Head of Trading Standards said: “The public have a right to expect that goods meet their description. The benefit from this type of crime is massive and we will do whatever we can to ensure people do not benefit from their crime by stripping them of their assets. This case goes to show that crime does not pay.”