Dodgy Perth dealer fined a second time over illegal car trading business

A dodgy car dealer who copped a fine two years ago for selling cars from his Stirling home without a license almost immediately went back to the same offending, this time winding back odometers so he could on-sell the cars at a profit.

Jacob Hamilton, 53, appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Friday over 10 new charges relating to a secondhand car business Consumer Protection had already shut down in 2022.

Jacob Hamilton leaving Perth Magistrates Court on Friday.Credit: Rebecca Peppiatt

The court heard Hamilton used aliases to buy cheap cars, then wound back the odometers before selling them on for a profit, sometimes hours after the initial purchase.

Consumer Protection prosecutors said Hamilton sold or exchanged 44 vehicles between November 2021 and February 2023, with the offending occurring within weeks of him copping a $40,000 fine for previously operating a similar business without a license.

This time, Hamilton made around $15,000 profit from the trades. His prior activities saw him reap profits of approximately $120,000, the court was told.

But in appealing for leniency from magistrate Sarah Oliver, Hamilton’s lawyer told the court his client operated the business without a license as a way to support his young daughter.

He told the court Hamilton had sole custody of the child but prior stints in prison for separate offending rendered him unable to get a car trading license and he was lacking in financial opportunities to support the girl.

“He engages in this activity so he can stay at home and not have to pay for child care,” his lawyer said.

Magistrate Oliver said this was a serious offence given that owners rely on odometer readings to service their vehicles and said there was a safety risk for those who purchased these cars.

“What’s more troubling is this is a course of conduct you have continued to offend in after your prior conviction,” she said.

Hamilton’s pleaded guilty to one count of unlicensed motor vehicle dealing and nine counts of making a false or misleading representation related to odometer tampering. Those charges carry a penalty of fines only.

He was convicted and ordered to pay $33,000 in fines plus court costs.

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