Dublin car trader Timmy Keane has been convicted of providing false information on a car’s mileage.

Keane was sentenced to six months suspended by Judge John Brennan in the Dublin District Court on 12 June 2017 following an investigation by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).

The trader was found guilty of providing false information in relation to a vehicle’s previous history, which is an offence under the Consumer Protection Act 2007. The offence related to a false odometer reading.

The sentence is in addition to the €5,000 compensation for the affected consumer following an application by the CCPC on behalf of the consumer.

Misleading 

Welcoming the sentence, Isolde Goggin (CCPC) said: “Misleading a consumer in the sale of a car is not only costly but, critically, it could be dangerous.

“If a consumer doesn’t know what the true mileage of a car is, then they can’t accurately judge the true condition or value of the car.

“Parts which should be in good working order might actually be at the point where they are about to fail.”

She reiterated that giving false or misleading information about a car, or selling a defective vehicle, is breaking the law.

The CCPC has said it is targeting car traders who break the law with enforcement action. Unannounced garage inspections are underway countrywide as part of the crackdown.