A BUSINESSMAN whose company is expected to turn over £1 million this year, bought a stolen £25,000 Mercedes convertible for just £3,500, a court heard.

Mohammed Maju was later stopped by police driving the car along St Helens Road, Bolton, but the vehicle had different number plates.

Maju produced forged MoT and registration documents for the car, which he initially told police he had bought for £11,000.

Maju, aged 22, of St Helens Road, Bolton, appeared at Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced for theft.

Lisa Boocock, prosecuting, said the car was stolen after its owner had left the keys on the roof at a petrol station.

Police later saw the car being driven along St Helens Road by Maju, but the car's registration number had been changed to 88GG.

Police were not satisfied with the details from the number plate and later searched Maju's house where they found a forged MoT and registration document for the car and a blank MoT.

When interviewed, Maju said he had bought the car in good faith from an auction in London, then claimed he had bought it at a service station for £11,000.

Eventually he admitted he had paid £3,500 for the car and the documents and said he knew it had been stolen and that the number plates were false.

Wayne Jackson, defending, said Maju, of previous good character, had been "remarkably stupid" in becoming involved. Maju had a mobile phone business where turnover was expected to be nearly £1 million this year.

Recorder John Benson said Maju had come perilously close to being sent to prison. He ordered him to serve a 200 hour community punishment order and to pay £125 costs.

Recorder Benson ordered that the car, which had been valued at £25,000 by its owner, but at only £18,640 by a dealer, be confiscated as an insurance claim had been paid.