Contractor was trusted with keys to rare classic car for Northamptonshire renovation job - so he sold it to first person who asked for £7,000

A Banbury man who was hired to refurbish a valuable classic car for a Northamptonshire customer only for him to sell it on and pocket the cash has been spared jail.

Andrew Fox,49, of Bridge Street, Banbury, was hired as a sub-contractor in 2018 to help his victim restore a cherished 30-year-old Renault GT Turbo.

The car was a passion project for the owner, who wanted to renovate the classic motor and sell it for an estimated £20,000.

However, after being hired to help restore the treasured Renault, Fox palmed the car off to an interested buyer for £7,000 and kept the cash for himself.

At his sentencing at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (July 6), prosecutor Mr Ben Gow told the judge: "[The owner] noticed that the car was missing, but was unconcerned be he thought Fox had taken the car to his lock-up to work on it.

"But, in fact, Fox had shown the car to someone else who then made an offer for it. Mr Fox then offered to sell it to the buyer for £10,000, before they settled on £7,000.

"A witness later confirmed how Mr Fox helped the buyer load the car onto a low loader."

The treasured car had reportedly been in the owner's possession since 1988 and had a "considerably low" mileage.

Before the car could be recovered, the new owner had sold off its engine and other components for parts.

In sentencing, the court heard how Fox has 27 previous convictions on 18 separate occasions, many of which for dishonesty.

He was found guilty at trial of stealing the car. The court heard he maintains that he "legitimately purchased" the cherished car off the victim before he sold it.

Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane sentenced Fox to an 18-month community order and ordered he complete 120 hours of unpaid work.