An unlicensed motor car trader has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, wholly suspended, and fined $4000 for odometer tampering and other offences.
Hassan Al Banna Al Dali, 30, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to charges under the Victorian Motor Car Traders Act (1986) and the Australian Consumer Law. He was charged with:
- 10 counts of odometer tampering
- one of unlicensed motor car trading
- 10 of making misleading and deceptive representations about vehicle history.
Consumer Affairs Victoria investigated Mr Al Dali's activities after a licensed motor car trader reported a car they had sold at auction was later advertised with a lower odometer reading.
The investigation found that Mr Al Dali had offered 20 vehicles for sale between 23 July 2010 and 27 April 2012. Ten had odometers wound back by an average 169,800 kilometres.
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen suspended the sentence at the 18 December hearing. Mr Vandersteen said he would have sentenced Mr Al Dali to 16 months' imprisonment, with a non-parole period of six months, and fined him $6000, had he not pleaded guilty.
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