Feltham man used customers' cars parked at Heathrow for errands while they were away on holiday

A businessman has been banned from driving for five years after he was found to have been driving customers' cars parked near Heathrow Airport while they were on their holidays.

Devinder Singh, 30, of Cygnet Avenue, Feltham , scammed customers by using the vehicles that had been entrusted to him through his YesParking business in The Common, West Drayton , to run personal errands.

The con came to light after one customer noticed their Range Rover Sport had less fuel and higher mileage and had also been cleaned when they returned to collect it.

A tracking device fitted to the vehicle also showed the car had been parked at a number of addresses including Singh’s home during the period the customer was away.

On collection of the vehicle they also noticed the setting was in the “off-road” position - which was never used.

He pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified; driving without insurance; and taking a motor vehicle without the owner's consent.

He was sentenced to six weeks suspended for a year, a five-year disqualification from driving and ordered to pay £350 costs and an £80 victim surcharge, on Thursday (May 26) at Ealing Magistrates’ Court.

'Betrayal of trust'

Mr Singh also runs a second business providing the same service called HeathrowParking 24-7, for motorists who want to leave their car in storage while they fly from Heathrow Airport.

Singh was interviewed under caution following the complaint and charged with the offences.

The shrewd businessman had previously been convicted of similar driving offences in relation to his business and has received a number of suspended sentences.

Detective Inspector Ian Robinson of Aviation policing said: “This was a betrayal of his customer’s trust by brazenly using their cars while they were away on holiday without their knowledge.

“He would have continued to do this had he not been caught. The travelling public must be careful to use reputable companies when leaving their motor vehicles whilst travelling from Heathrow Airport.”

In a separate case, a Hayes man and his accomplice were jailed for laundering a six-figure sum of 'dirty' money, from sales of un-taxed alcohol.

In another court cases this month, a woman with secret stash of money was jailed for claiming benefits ; while a Knightsbridge businessman man was jailed for £1m VAT jeans fraud.