A FORMER serviceman has told how the engine of his van cut out when it reached 35mph just minutes after leaving the Southampton car dealership he bought it from.

Danny Critchley appeared over a video link from Australia and told Salisbury Crown Court how he was also given two “unsafe” and “dangerous” courtesy vans, one of which had problems with its brakes.

The jury heard Mr Critchley was left £2,500 out of pocket after returning the Ford Transit to Woolston Car Supermarket, in Hazel Road, to be fixed.

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It comes as part of the fourth day in a trial involving a group of car dealers accused of taking more than one million miles off the odometer of vehicles sold through four companies – including Hampshire Vehicle Sales, Service 4 Life and Deltaflag.

Richard Burbage, 44, of Poplar Way, Southampton, Ryan Overton, 22, of St Peter’s Close, Southampton and Darryl Warren, 35, of Lower Derby Road, Portsmouth, deny five charges of fraudulent trading.

The group was accused of selling defective cars, falsely claiming that vehicles were covered by warranties, giving false descriptions of vehicles and failing to refund customers whose cars were either lawfully returned or not delivered.

Stan Rudgley, who was a director of two of the companies, pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading, at an earlier hearing.

Mr Critchley told the court how in August 2014 he gave Burbage a £500 deposit for the vehicle which he planned to use to launch his own business.

But after paying for the van, which had 140,000 miles on the clock, he drove home when the fuel light came on and the engine stopped.

Mr Critchley said he took the van back and was given a courtesy car until they provided him with a courtesy van, while his vehicle was being fixed.

He added the brakes ‘fell off’ the first van so he was given another. He kept this vehicle a few months until December and made numerous efforts to get his money back.

Proceeding.