A SENIOR councillor has dubbed the punishment handed down to a pair of fraudsters "fitting" after they conned a man out of thousands of pounds.

The Leader reported earlier this week on the sentencing of 42-year-old Jonathan Gibson, of Turning Lane in Scarisbrick, Southport, and 41-year-old Richard Mercer, of Boundary Close in Southport.

Flintshire Council prosecuted the defendants after trading standards officers learned of concerns about their advertisement and sale of vehicles.

The court heard how they used an online auction site to advertise what their victim believed was a damaged Auto-Sleeper Warwick Duo.

However, after paying £15,000 for the vehicle - which he believed to be a good investment - and taking delivery of it, the victim discovered it was worth just £1,500.

In fact, it was not the vehicle he believed it was at all. It had just been made to look that way in photos.

A considerable amount of work had gone into making the 'plain van' look like an expensive Auto-Sleeper in the photos, the court heard, and efforts had also been undertaken to make sure anyone looking at buying it wouldn't be able to look inside, and would have to rely on the photos the seller supplied.

Gibson received 15 months suspended for 18 months, with 180 hours of unpaid work.

And Mercer received 12 months suspended for 18 months, with 120 hours of unpaid work.

Both defendants must pay a £156 victim surcharge.

Prior to the hearing, the victim in the case had already been compensated to the sum of £15,000 by Gibson. The defendants had also already paid prosecution costs of £15,000.

Councillor Chris Bithell, Flintshire Council’s cabinet member for planning and public protection said: “The guilty plea and the punishment imposed was, on this occasion, fitting for such a dreadful case which was designed to defraud consumers of significant amounts of money. 

"This case shows how Flintshire’s Community and Business Protection Service is willing and able to take necessary action to bring such fraudsters before the courts and ensure that they are punished and hopefully will be unable to take advantage of consumers. 

"The service continues to investigate allegations of rogue traders and fraudsters working in the county.”