A former garage owner has been convicted and fined €1,200 for "clocking" a second-hand car and then sending it for a National Car Test before selling it on.
According to the National Consumer Agency "clocking" means changing the genuine odometer reading of a car to make it seem like it has driven far less miles than it actually has.
Oleksandr Tabachuk, who had been trading as Sasha Auto Sales and Repairs at the Ballybane Industrial Estate on the Tuam Road, appeared before Galway District Court.
A woman bought a car for €4,000 from Mr Tabachuk in August 2009, but was alerted to the low mileage displayed on the clock after meeting its previous owner.
The woman then complained to the National Consumer Agency.
The NCA had the car examined and brought the prosecution against Mr Tabachuk.
Mr Tabachuk pleaded guilty to engaging in a misleading commercial practice by selling the "clocked" car to a consumer.
He also pleaded guilty to providing misleading information to the NCT authorities regarding the car's mileage record to obtain an NCT certificate prior to selling the car on.
NCA Chief Executive Ann Fitzgerald said that today's result "sends the message to traders that misleading practices such as this will be robustly dealt with".
