A CAR firm faces a bill of more than £5,000 after pleading guilty to selling a car which crashed just a month after it was bought.

Independent family business CB Autos UK Ltd, based at the Marshgate Industrial Estate in Swindon, sold a 25-year-old Austin Mini with an MOT certificate in September last year.

At the beginning of October the buyer crashed into another vehicle when the brakes on the ageing Mini failed.

The car was examined by an expert who found severe corrosion to the vehicle structure and faulty brakes. The case was reported to Swindon Council’s trading standards department, which carried out an investigation.

On May 25 the owners of CB Autos UK Ltd – brothers Ben and Toby Smith – appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court where they pleaded guilty to selling the car, which was deemed unroadworthy.

They were fined £3,000, ordered to pay costs of £1,250 to the council, £1,000 legal costs and a £15 surcharge to the victim.

In a statement issued to the Adver after the sentencing, Toby Smith said: “Unfortunately a procedural error was made, where a 25-year-old Mini was sold with an eight- month-old MOT certificate, indicating the vehicle roadworthy.

“As this type and age of vehicle is not our normal stock we have full confidence of this situation not occurring again. Measures have been put in place to make sure nothing like this happens again. Whilst we accept responsibility the level of fine is under appeal.”

Coun Brian Mattock, cabinet member for housing, community and partnerships, said: “This case is a clear warning to other businesses who are thinking of selling vehicles that are not fit to use on the highway. In this case, the driver was unharmed, but it could have been a lot more serious.”