A BURNLEY motor trader has been ordered to pay a fine and costs of more than £1,000 after selling a van with a false mileage reading.

Robert James Williams, 29, pleaded guilty to applying a false trade description to the van.

In the prosecution brought by Trading Standards, Reedley Magistrates heard that an 'N' registered Mercedes panel van showing 159,000 miles was bought from a motor auction in Burnley.

But when the new owner contacted the previous keeper to obtain a service history, he learned that the mileage reading was incorrect.

Inquiries by Trading Standards officers revealed that when Williams bought the van less than a month earlier, the odometer reading had been 298,000. When it was entered for auction the reading had almost halved.

Auction records showed that, rather than declaring that the mileage reading was incorrect, Williams had stated that it was 'not warranted'.

The court was told that this gave auction-goers the impression that the mileage reading may or may not be genuine, whereas Williams knew that it was definitely false.

On behalf of Williams the court heard that when he bought the van the odometer was not working, so he replaced it with a second-hand unit showing 160,000 miles. Williams said he had not wanted to cheat anybody.

A fine of £750 was imposed and Williams was ordered to pay full costs of £432.