Dublin Car Dealers Convicted Over Misleading Write-Off Histories

Court Sentencing and Guilty Pleas at Dublin District Court

In a ruling delivered at Dublin District Court, Judge Anthony Halpin sentenced Andrius Miliauskas to four months in prison after he pleaded guilty to six offences related to misleading vehicle histories. Brian Healy, the owner of Lucan Auto Sales, pleaded guilty to four offences and was fined €1,500. Healy was additionally ordered to pay €3,567 in costs to the CCPC and €1,994 in compensation to an affected consumer. Court orders handed down against Miliauskas have been appealed to the Circuit Court.

The prosecutions followed detailed CCPC investigations which established that both traders had knowingly provided false, misleading, or deceptive information regarding the background and structural integrity of cars sold to unsuspecting buyers in County Dublin.

Specific Vehicle Cases Involving Write-Offs and Undisclosed Crashes

The criminal charges brought by the consumer watchdog centered on two specific second-hand vehicles that sustained severe structural damage before being remarketed to retail customers without adequate disclosures:

• 2016 Ford Focus (161 registration): This vehicle was crashed in March 2023 and officially classed as an insurance write-off sold as salvage. It entered Lucan Auto Sales and was subsequently sold to a retail consumer in June 2023 for €11,500. Investigators confirmed the buyer was given misleading information regarding the car’s crash history.
• 2014 Audi A5 (142 registration): This vehicle was crashed and written off in the United Kingdom in 2017 before being sold by Lucan Auto Sales for €14,000 in June 2024 without disclosure of its crash history. When the purchaser discovered the truth and returned the automobile, the dealership almost immediately readvertised the vehicle for sale without disclosing its crashed background.

Both buyers reported their distressing retail experiences directly to the CCPC, triggering the formal statutory investigations that culminated in the district court convictions.

Judge Halpin and CCPC Warnings on Public Safety Risks

During the sentencing phase, Judge Anthony Halpin emphasized the grave public safety hazards posed by concealing structural damage and write-off histories from motorists. Judge Halpin stated that the dealers had completely deceived the two consumers, adding that if one of the previously written-off cars were to break down on the road, not only could the people in that car be killed, but other people could be killed as a consequence, noting that to deceive a buyer in that regard is outrageous.

CCPC chairperson Brian McHugh reinforced these safety concerns in a public statement following the court ruling, emphasizing that car traders carry a strict legal obligation not to mislead buyers about a vehicle’s history and condition. McHugh noted that misleading information puts buyers and all other road users in dangerous situations.

McHugh also highlighted structural shortcomings in consumer access to vehicle data across the jurisdiction, calling for free access to vital car history information:

Car traders have a legal obligation not to mislead buyers about a car’s history and condition. Misleading information can put the buyer and all other road users in danger. The CCPC will continue to investigate and prosecute car dealers who mislead consumers, but the best way to keep consumers safe from unscrupulous car dealers is to arm them with information. We need car history information to be shared with consumers for free as is seen in other countries. A car is one of the most expensive purchases a consumer will ever make, and buyers need accurate information so they can get value for money and a safe and reliable vehicle for them and their family. Circuit Court. Brian McHugh

The CCPC confirmed it is actively working alongside the Department for Transport to ensure that consumers can access key vehicle history data, including insurance write-off and crash markers, without financial barriers. Consumers who believe they have been misled by a motor trader are urged to contact the CCPC helpline directly on 01-4025555 or visit ccpc.ie.