A Broughty Ferry man put a dealership’s £25,000 courtesy car up for sale after a long-running dispute over repairs to his own vehicle, a court has heard.
James Anderson registered Arnold Clark’s Mercedes Benz in his own name before advertising it on the internet after becoming frustrated with an ongoing fault to his car.
Anderson’s solicitor told Dundee Sheriff Court that the 49-year-old had no intention of carrying out the sale but had strayed into the “realms of extortion” attempting to resolve his dispute with the company.
The car was later discovered by police in a lock-up wrapped in a plastic sheet.
Depute fiscal Susan Ruta told the court that Arnold Clark had given Anderson a courtesy car after an ongoing fault with his vehicle.
She said: “He was not happy with the work done and said he would not be returning their vehicle until new repairs were done on his (car).
“He made it quite clear he was not going to return the car to Arnold Clark.”
In November 2013, Anderson applied to be the car’s registered keeper and in January 2014 advertised it for sale on the internet.
Ms Ruta said: “Police became involved after Arnold Clark alerted them. As far as they were concerned the car had been stolen.”
Theo Finlay, defending, said: “It was a long-standing protracted dispute. He had paid a substantial amount of money to them over a period of time.
“Ultimately, in September 2013, the car was driven about 50 yards and it broke down again. It always was his intention that the vehicle would be returned to the complainers once they had rectified the situation.
“The dispute simply continued what he was doing was cranking up the pressure and trying to force them into dealing with him. What he did was stray into the realms of extortion.”
Anderson, 49, of Brook Street, Broughty Ferry, admitted stealing a Mercedes Benz car on January 27 last year.
Fining Anderson £150, Sheriff Wood said: “The circumstances are very unusual, unique even. But your conduct was criminal and I have to mark that.”