A dealer in the North of England was fined £97 for taking a customer on a test drive in an untaxed ex-demo car, despite displaying trade plates at the time.

Legally, ex-demonstration vehicles have to display valid road tax as they are the property of the dealership. It is illegal for these cars to be taken out for test drives, even on trade plates.

“We’ve been caught for something we didn’t know was illegal,” said a spokesman for the dealership. “We’ve done the same for years, and I expect there are loads of other garages doing it without knowing they’re breaking the law.”