A MAN has been jailed for more than a year after he used counterfeit cash in a deal to buy a car.

Toby Roberts presented the owner of the Land Rover with £400 in fake £20 notes after seeing the vehicle for sale on Gumtree.

Shortly after handing over the car to Roberts, who had signed documents with a different surname, the seller became concerned over the legitimacy of the cash.

He subsequently contacted police and a few days later officers an associate of the defendant was located sleeping in the vehicle.

This associate was arrested and told officers his friend had let him borrow the vehicle. Further police enquiries led them to believe this friend was Roberts and he was arrested nine months after acquiring the vehicle.

Roberts, of Tyrrell Gardens, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to a charge of passing counterfeit currency shortly before he was due to stand trial last year.

Bournemouth Echo: Toby RobertsToby Roberts

Appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on January 27, the 26-year-old was jailed for 16 months.

Prosecuting, Gemma White told the court the owner of the vehicle attended an identification parade and positively identified Roberts as the man who signed the car documents.

Ms White said: "The Bank of England has confirmed that the notes were counterfeit and so far as Mr Roberts's account in interview was concerned he did not answer any questions. He elected his right of silence."

The court heard the defendant had 36 previous convictions for 47 offences dating back to 2009.

Mitigating, Rose Burns said: "He has only himself to blame unfortunately for the commission of this offence."

She said Roberts had changed "quite considerably" in recent years, adding "he has grown up".

The barrister said the defendant was currently in work, he had secured his own accommodation and he had separated himself from "influences that were leaning on him".

Ms Burns asked the judge to impose a suspended sentence.

"It would be in the public interest for this man to be given a chance today," she said.

The offence dated back to April 2019, but sentencing judge Robert Pawson said the delay was in part down to the time it had taken police to locate the defendant.

Judge Pawson said there was "quite a high quantity" of counterfeit notes and the impact of such offences worsened the whole economy.

He said Roberts had a "bad record of previous convictions", with a pre-sentence report stating the offender was "blaming others and not taking responsibility for your own actions".

Alongside the prison term, the judge ordered forfeiture and destruction of the counterfeit cash.

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