A “rogue” car dealer was fined £360 following an investigation by Moray Council’s Trading Standards team.
Trading Standards first became aware that Chris Gray was trading in second hand cars after monitoring internet sites Gumtree and Facebook.
The 26-year-old had placed adverts for more than 30 vehicles on Gumtree since 2010, and had started advertising vehicles and trading cars on Facebook more recently under the name, Asbo Motors.
Warning letters sent by Trading Standards officers to Gray were ignored and he continued to openly trade without a licence on Facebook.
Gray, of 13 McMillan Avenue, Elgin, admitted a charge of dealing in motor vehicles without a second hand dealer licence when he appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court last week.
Speaking yesterday, Trading Standards Manager Peter Adamson said: “Moray Council licenses second hand motor dealers to promote high standards and to protect the public from rogue traders.
“Traders who ignore the rules undermine the licensing system, put consumers at risk and unfairly undercut legitimate traders.”
The closed Asbo Motors Elgin group has over 4,000 online members.
