TWO brothers who ran a business buying and selling cars over the internet have been jailed after defrauding customers out of more than £1 million.
David and Richard Loach operated the Left Hand Drive Car Company, buying and selling cars on behalf of customers over the internet.
But an investigation by Trading Standards found many customers who paid for vehicles never received them or a full refund, while those who left vehicles with the brothers on a "sale or return" basis didn't get full payment or any money at all.
David Loach, 49, of Main Street, Cotgrave, and Richard Loach, 46, of Roslyn Avenue, Gedling, were both jailed for two years and three months after pleading guilty at Nottingham Crown Court to knowingly carrying on a fraudulent business with the intent to defraud creditors.
The court heard the pair ran a number of companies over a ten-year period selling left-hand-drive cars, which were either wound up or received complaints about the non-delivery of vehicles.
After the sentencing, Jane Bailey, Trading Standards manager at Nottingham City Council, said: "This is a fantastic result after many years of investigation."
The company ceased trading in December 2008 after failing to keep up payments to creditors and to deliver vehicles. It was found the brothers each owed more than £1.3 million when the company was wound up, relating to over 60 separate claims from customers.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Jonathan Teare said the brothers had "lied and lied", and that their trading practices were "riddled with dishonesty".