A used car dealer has been jailed for a year after he admitted conning motorists out of cash by bouncing cheques and withholding the proceeds of their vehicles’ sale.

Devizes car dealer Jerry Swain was sentenced to a year in prison by a judge sitting in Swindon on Friday, the Wiltshire Gazette and Herald reported.

The 68-year-old, of Maryport Street, who runs a second-hand car business from Cannings Hill Garage, pleaded guilty to ten counts of fraud.

Of the ten charges against him, Swain admitted two relating to people receiving cheques, totalling more than £1,000, which he knew would not be cleared by the banks.

On six occasions Swain also told car owners they would receive sums of money from the sale of a vehicle but never delivered on his promise.

He admitted withholding £14,450 from those victims, with each losing between £400 and £4,250.