A garage owner involved in a £90,000 scam over the sale of Morgan cars has been jailed for 18 months.

Ombersley man Timothy Packer turned to fraud when his classic car business hit financial problems, Worcester Crown Court heard.

He agreed to sell the luxury cars for clients in return for a commission but after deals were completed did not hand over the sale money and instead used the whole amount he had received to keep his ailing firm afloat.

Packer, aged 63, of Dower House, Holt Fleet Road, admitted fraudulent trading between August 31, 2001 and February 1 last year.

Judge Michael Mott said prison was the only fit punishment. He confiscated £27,108 of Packer's assets to reimburse those he swindled.

The defendant, who ran a business in Hagley Road, Stourbridge, told one customer whose car he had sold that no buyer had been found and another that the bank would not let him have access to the money, said Andrew Evans, prosecuting.

At one stage, three victims had a meeting with Packer, who offered them 25 per cent of the money he owed them.

He confessed to police in an interview he had not told owners their cars were sold and had lied because he did not have the money to pay them.

Mr Evans said Packer had £22,000 a year income from three properties in Stourbridge and would repay victims over a three-year period.

Saleema Mahmood, defending, said Packer, a father of two of previous good character and a reputable dealer, had acted naively when his business went out of control.

But he accepted that using other people's money was "a slippery slope". He was full of remorse and wanted to compensate the victims.

Miss Mahmood said jail would be extremely difficult because of his age. He was also concerned about his family after some victims had gone to his home and police had been forced to take action.

"He's a broken man," Miss Mahmood added.

"He only wants to right his wrongs. The business is now wound up and the proceedings have been a salutary experience and a huge burden."