A DUDLEY car dealer has been hit with a hefty fine after selling a sports car that was so corroded it was dangerous to use on the road.

Arfan Aslam, trading as Adeez Motors, of Beech Green, Dudley, was found guilty of four offences under the Road Traffic Act and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court on March 14.

The court heard how Aslam sold a Mazda RX-8 which he described as 'mechanically perfect with no issues’ and a ‘stunning example – drives perfect’.

The car's faults came to light when the buyer complained, prompting Dudley Trading Standards to launch an investigation.

A vehicle inspection discovered severe corrosion to the sills near to the seat belt and suspension mounting points and all of the metal ferrule attachments of the flexible brake hoses.

The examiner deemed the Mazda unroadworthy and not safe to drive on the road.

Aslam told the court the Mazda had passed an MOT test in March 2018, and that he didn’t have any facilities to check underneath vehicles.

He was fined a total of £1,760 and had three points added to his driving licence.

He was also ordered to pay £2,000 costs, £325 compensation to the buyer and a victim surcharge of £44.

Councillor Gaye Partridge, cabinet member for communities, said: "This prosecution sends out a clear message to car traders that they have a responsibility to describe vehicles accurately and check those they sell are safe to use on the road.

"A valid MOT Certificate is not a guarantee that a vehicle will be roadworthy for the full 12 months.

"Dudley Trading Standards will not hesitate to investigate complaints where consumers have been misled, or where their lives have been put at risk by being sold a dangerous and unroadworthy vehicle.”