A FORMER car dealer who operated a sales site in East Tilbury has been given a suspended prison sentence for various offences committed on the premises of Motors For You on Princess Margaret Road.

The offences date back to early 2024 but it has taken more than two years to get 32-year-old Muhammad Zubair Bhatti of Golfe Road, Iford, before a court.

However, when Bhatti did appear at Southend Magistrates' Court on Thursday, 27 August, he admitted ten offences, four relating to the sale of unsafe vehicles and six offences of false and misleading advertising

The case was put before the court by Thurrock Council's Trading Standards team.

Used car dealership Motors For You Ltd had a short but chequered life on a leased forecourt and office next to Production House, which is on the junction of Princess Margaret Road and the entrance to the Thames Industrial Park.

The site was frequently criticised by the East Tilbury Forum for the state it was kept in – and there were issues with parking of vehicles.

Motors For You Ltd was incorporated in November 2022 but had effectively folded by April 2025, when Bhatti terminated his role as director and secretary.

In April of the previous year Bhatti sold a Nissan Qashqai that was found to be unsafe due to corrosion of the vehicle's frame and issues with other critical safety components. The car had been advertised as being "faultless" despite being in a dangerously poor condition.

Following a complaint about the vehicle, Trading Standards officers inspected cars for sale on Motors For You's forecourt. During the inspection, they found another vehicle, a Toyota Corolla Verso, that was also not roadworthy. They also identified false advertisements claiming vehicles had full-service histories when they did not, as well as cars advertised at prices considerably higher than those listed on the business's website.

In total, Bhatti pleaded guilty to four offences under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in relation to the two unsafe vehicles, and six offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 relating to the way the vehicles were advertised.

He was sentenced to three custodial sentences of two months, to run consecutively, which were suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £2,000 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge. The money will be deducted from his benefits.

The site of Bhatti's former business stands derelict and empty today. In the interim between the closure of Motors For You, another unconnected company operated a small car sales business and car wash, but the premises were vacated several months ago.

Thurrock Council leader Cllr Richard Bingley, who is also portfolio holder for Public Protection, Community Safety and Veterans, said: "This action, and the sentence it has led to for the rogue car trader, shows we will not tolerate anyone seeking to rip off consumers and put safety at risk.

"His guilty plea shows that this individual knew exactly what he was doing when advertising and selling these unsafe vehicles, and the successful prosecution demonstrates that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure anyone seeking to rip off and endanger people in Thurrock is brought to justice."

Anyone with concerns about a second-hand car purchase is advised by Thurrock Council report them through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.