A Pembroke dealer is awaiting sentencing for under-declaring income tax earned from sales of used cars over three years.

Just as the trial was scheduled to begin at Swansea Crown Court, Christopher Rickard, who runs Main Street Service Station in Pembroke, pleaded guilty to a single charge of being concerned in the fraudulent evasion of income tax between April 6 2003 and April 5 2006.

Protracted talks between the defence and HM Revenue & Customs prosecutors saw the tax claimed reduced from £78,000 to £5,000.

Rickard was bailed to return to the court once pre-sentence reports are available for the judge.

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the prosecution could apply for an order confiscating money or assets related to the offence.