A TRADER claimed a car had less than half its true mileage, a court has heard.

Alexandru Cristinel Cornel Craescu admitted engaging in a misleading commercial action containing false information when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

The court heard the 45-year-old trader had declared a 2016 Vauxhall Astra had a mileage of 60,160, but that this mileage was 'not warranted' between August 18 and 21 last year, while knowing the car had in fact travelled in excess of 131,000 miles.

The prosecution said the declaration had caused or was likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision they would not have taken otherwise.

Craescu, of Marsh Mill, Leominster, was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge. No order was made for costs as Craescu had agreed to surrender the car to the council and that costs incurred by the council would be covered by this.