The van was abandoned in a supermarket car park
A mechanic charged almost £4,000 to repair a van – and then abandoned the vehicle in a supermarket car park.
On Wednesday, July 23, Jamie Leigh Wright appeared at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court for sentencing after previously being found guilty of fraud.
An investigation by Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team found that in July 2024, Wright, of Azenor Avenue, Falmouth, agreed to replace an engine in a Volkswagen van for £3,954.
The customer took out a loan and gave the money to Wright in advance.
Despite being told that it would only take two weeks, the customer kept getting excuses as to why the work hadn’t been done.
The van was eventually left by Wright in a supermarket car park and was subsequently recovered and auctioned off as an abandoned vehicle.
This resulted in the customer losing his van, which was estimated to be worth around £6,000, as well as the £3,954 he paid Wright for the repair.
Wright, who was convicted in October 2024 for fraud in relation to similar vehicle repair issues, was sentenced to 26 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years for the latest offence.
The magistrates agreed to suspend the sentence after hearing that Wright, aged 42, had found new employment and was no longer working as a mechanic.
Wright was also ordered to pay the victim £10,000 in compensation.
Councillor Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety and Public Health at Cornwall Council, said: “I’d like to thank our Trading Standards team for bringing this individual to justice and securing compensation for the victim.
“This prosecution sends a very clear message that we will not allow people to rip off Cornwall’s residents.”
Press released issued on July 28, 2025