A BUSINESSMAN who stole a £2,900 car from an 80-year-old garage boss has been warned he is likely to be jailed.

William Wade test drove the Peugeot 405 after calling at Grocondo Tramontana's garage in Clows Top.

He persuaded the pensioner to let him show the car to a customer but then sold it.

Wade, 49, of Oaklee, Hallow, Worcester, claimed he was involved in business deals and was waiting for cheques to clear.

A jury at Worcester Crown Court convicted him of theft and then heard he had a record for dishonesty going back to 1964.

In 1995 he was jailed for three years for a counterfeit notes conspiracy.

Granting Wade bail for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, Recorder Richard Rundell told him: "The likelihood is that you will go to prison."

Wade, arrested six months after the theft in June last year, had worked for the victim when he owned a quarry near Stourport.

Mr Tramontana's son made more than 100 phone calls trying to get the defendant to pay up or return the car. He eventually handed over a cheque which bounced.

Defence counsel Heidi Kubik told the jury Wade had got involved in a business deal which turned into a bad debt.