A car salesman has been fined for using a roadside verge as his forecourt.

Tariq Mahmood, of Othello Close, Hartford, parked his cars and advertised them for sale on grassed areas maintained by Huntingdonshire District Council.

He pleaded guilty at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court to eight separate offences in contravention of local byelaws.

HDC said it has had numerous complaints over the years regarding cars being offered for sale in the streets and open spaces of Huntingdonshire.

It added that often the vehicles have been parked on grassed open spaces and roadside margins causing damage to the grass, and costing taxpayers money in repairs.

Executive councillor for environment Councillor Darren Tysoe said: “Further problems are caused during the winter months as the cars churn up the ground, and during the summer the council’s groundsmen cannot maintain grass. It also causes a highway safety risk to the public who are distracted by the cars and adverts, and slow down to look at them.”

Mahmood pleaded guilty to eight separate offences of parking on the grass where signposting clearly prohibited the parking of cars. Magistrates took the guilty plea into account and fined him £50 for each offence. They also ordered him to pay £400 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.