A BOURNEMOUTH businessman could face prison if his company fails to change its ways – just four years after his first enterprise folded owing some £73,000 to hundreds of angry customers.

James Augusti was previously the director of online sports kit retailer JA Sports which went into liquidation in 2008, owing thousands.

Now his latest venture, Click Marketing Ltd, has been warned by Bournemouth trading standards after it was inundated with complaints about poor service and misleading statements and false descriptions.

He and co-director Richard Lacken were warned that they could face jail if they mislead their customers in future, following a judgement in Bournemouth County Court.

The pair signed binding court undertakings after accepting trading standards evidence including witness statements from more than 70 businesses around the country.

Customers complained of feeling cheated out of thousands and of rude and arrogant responses from the company, according to Andy Sherriff, trading standards manager for Bournemouth Borough Council.

He told the Echo: “Click Marketing Ltd generated more complaints to our service than any other business over the period in question.

“The defendants made claims to their customers that looked too good to be true.

“Many of their customers have spent significant sums of money and got nothing but substandard services from them.

“In many cases, unauthorised debits were taken from their payment cards for sums exceeding the price agreed.

“It is disappointing that Click Marketing’s directors felt reluctant to sign earlier – the case originally came to court in September last year and the stalling tactics have been frustrating for the victims and for my officers.

“I am sure this result will be widely welcomed by many of Click’s customers.

“They’ve told us that they feel cheated out of thousands of pounds, and that the response from the company was often ‘rude’ or ‘arrogant’.

“We’ve ensured that these undertakings relate to Mr Augusti and Mr Lacken as individuals as well as to their current business – they will continue to be bound by this even if Click Marketing Ltd folds or is wound-up.”

Director Mr Lacken said they were working with Trading Standards to reduce complaints, had made changes and had a “high volume of happy customers”.

He added: “Whilst a compromise was reached in court, no findings were made against us.”