A BUSINESSMAN and his company have been fined £3,000 for clocking the mileage on a pick-up truck.

Martin Reynolds, 48, of Whielden Lane, Winchmore Hill, Amersham, appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court for sentencing last Friday.

He had previously admitted at Wycombe Magistrates Court a charge of supplying goods with a false trade description.

Reynolds also pleaded guilty, as a director of Rangeland Ltd of Edgeware, to a further offence of supplying goods wrongly described and to a applying a false trade description to goods.

The court heard that the vehicle was sold showing a mileage of 121,000 kilometres but had in fact had done 220,000.

Ruby Selva, prosecuting, said the buyer returned the vehicle and was given an instant refund but it was later put on sale again displaying the lower mileage.

Buckinghamshire Trading Standards later investigated complaints about the vehicle in February and traced it to Reynolds' company, Rangeland Ltd.

Miss Selva said that although Reynolds did not have personal responsibility for the vehicle, as company director he was liable.

Paul Mitchell, defending, said: "Reynolds accepts he has to carry the can for mistakes within his company."

He added that Rangeland Ltd, once a company with a turnover of £3 million, was no longer trading and is facing voluntary liquidation and Reynolds, who had worked in the motor trade for more than 20 years, was looking for other work.

Judge Daniel Rowell fined Reynolds and Rangeland Ltd £1,500 each and £948 costs.