A car dealer has been convicted of using his home and nearby residential streets to sell cars illegally.

Graham Sheekey, 52, of Hortus Road in Chingford, used Auto Trader to advertise cars sold through his registered business, Connaught Motor Company.

Waltham Forest Council investigated the second-hand car dealership following complaints from neighbours that Mr Sheekey was using his home and Elmfield Road as a car lot without a street trading licence.

In June 2013, the council checked the registrations of the cars advertised online and found 12 of them to be parked in Hortus Road and surrounding streets.

Mr Sheekey later failed to respond to a council letter on the issue.

A month later, the cuncil checked number plates again and found 14 of the 20 cars advertised were parked in and around his home, resulting in Mr Sheekey being warned by the council.

On August 29, Mr Sheekey attended an interview with officers from the Trading Standards Team and he was shown photographs of the cars.

He then admitted offering some of them for sale.

The 52-year-old was then sent an outline of the legislation necessary for street trading but he continued to flout the law, with 17 cars found to be advertised through Auto Trader in October of that year. 

On April 25, Mr Sheekey appeared at Thames Magistrates Court and found guilty of 12 counts of unlicensed street dealing relating to cars parked at his home and in Elmfield Road.

He was ordered to pay £400 for each of the 12 offences, totalling £4,800, and £1,160 in legal costs. 

The council's action has not stopped Connaught Motor Company from operating, but if Mr Sheekey wants to trade cars, he must apply for a licence to sell from a forecourt or storage ground.