A police officer who bought a car with 74,500 miles on the clock discovered its true mileage was over 193,000, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Former motor trader Brian Vale insisted that neither he nor his staff at BP Motors in Crumpfields Lane, Webheath, had tampered with the vehicle.

But the 62-year-old admitted supplying goods with a false trade description.

Judge Michael Mott adjourned the case for the defence to submit proof of purchase and also details of Vale's means.

The 1994 Volvo 850 estate, priced at £9,000, was advertised in a motor trade magazine in April 1999 and was bought by the policeman, Adrian White, for £8,500, said Mr Lee Marklew, prosecuting.

The price was reduced by a further £100 when alterations had not been carried out and the officer became suspicious when the mileage increased by more than 1,000 within days of him first seeing the car.

The true mileage was revealed when it was taken to dealers who had serviced the car in the past and by a check on the national mileage register.

Vale, of Mayfield Road, Halesowen, promised Mr White a full refund but kept the car when he did not receive it.

Mr Marklew said the false mileage could have resulted in a difference of £3,000 to £4,000 in the price.

Vale had been a dealer for nearly 20 years and had no previous convictions, said his counsel Mr Jason Barfeld. But he was now a sick man and was no longer trading.

He had bought the car in good faith and had left his staff to draft the sale advertisement. He took responsibility for their action but neither he nor they had altered the mileage.

Mr Barfeld said the RAC had inspected the vehicle at the request of Mr White and had given it a clean bill of health.

"My client was as much caught out by someone else's dishonesty as Mr White," he added.