Dodgy dealer hit for more than £250,000

James Kell • Published 19 May 2009 16:11 0 Comments

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A DODGY car dealer will pay back more than quarter of a million pounds following a court ruling.

Philip Edghill, 51, traded under the names of J&P Newbury Limited and J&P Motors from premises at Monks Lane Service Station and Newtown Road, Newbury.

On Friday, a judge at Oxford Crown Court found that Edghill had made more than £1m from crimes including selling 'clocked" cars with a false mileage, and selling vehicles without a Consumer Credit Licence.

Judge Mary Jane Mowat ruled that Edghill had £250,882.81 in available assets and granted an order that they should be confiscated.

From the order, Edghill will pay back more than £70,000 in compensation to the victims of his crimes.

Det Insp Dave Edmondson from the Economic Crime Unit (ECU) said: 'This successful prosecution and subsequent confiscation resulted in an unscrupulous car dealer being punished for his crimes, and also ensured his victims were compensated for their loss.'

Edghill was sentenced in March 2007 by Judge Mowat to three years imprisonment for offences against section 169 of the Consumer Credit Act, offences against section 18(1) of the Theft Act, offences against section 20 of the Trades Descriptions Act and contempt of court. He faces a further six months in jail if he fails to repay the full £250,882.81 within six months.

A two-year investigation was undertaken by the ECU following Edghill"s conviction, culminating in the hearing on Friday.

Det Insp Edmonson said: 'This was a complex and detailed financial investigation and it has deprived Edghill of any proceeds from his crimes. Criminals should be aware it is not just their freedom they risk losing, but any proceeds they have made from their criminality. Crime doesn"t pay.'

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