Jonathan Peter Nolan, 62, from Southampton, was sentenced to two years imprisonment, at Southampton Crown Court on 21 November 2023.

The fraud offences were identified in 2020 as part of an Insolvency Service investigation into potential bankruptcy offences.

However, as the fraud offences occurred in 2017 and 2018 while Nolan was subject to a suspended sentence for a previous conviction, the suspended sentence was activated upon this latest conviction and resulted in an immediate two-year custodial sentence.

The fraud offences in 2017 related to five separate instances where Nolan sold five cars to a car dealership, despite not being the legal owner. He gained a total of £75,400 through these frauds.

In addition, in January 2018, Nolan committed a separate fraud when he sold the same Ford Fiesta to two separate dealerships one day apart. In doing so he gained a further £6,850 through his fraudulent behaviour.

Glenn Wicks, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: ‘Nolan deliberately ripped off two car dealers who thought they were making legitimate purchases. I am pleased our investigation uncovered his fraudulent behaviour and has resulted in a custodial sentence.’

Nolan initially denied the charges but later entered guilty pleas on the day of his trial. He was sentenced by Judge Nicholas Rowland.

His previous conviction was in 2016 for offences under the Insolvency Act after he had failed to disclose around £60,000 in income during a previous bankruptcy. At that point he received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months.