Mansfield car wash workers guilty of taking customer’s car

Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard how two workers from the Spot Hand Car Wash on Clipstone Road, Forest town, drove a van belonging to a customer after it had been left there overnight for work.

Bogdan Ionut Iftode and Ladut Cirneala, both of Clipstone Road West, pleaded guilty to taking a Ford Connect van without the owners permission to drive it in the Forest Town area.

Iftode, 21, admitted to driving the vehicle without the owners consent, without a license for a van of that size.

Cirneala, 23, pleaded guilty to knowing about the offence, as he was in the passenger seat.

Neither of the men were insured to drive the vehicle.

The owner had left his van and keys overnight at the car wash after taking it to have work done.

And it was announced in the courtroom that they are still employed at the car wash.

The legal advisor to the magistrates said: “Their employer is disappointed in them.

“And I understand he has held their wages as punishment.”

The defence solicitor for both men, Miss Donna Pursglove, said: “This was an incredibly foolish thing to have done.

“They had taken the key with every intention to return the van to the yard.”

No damage was done to the vehicle.

The legal advisor added: “There has been a breach of trust here towards the vehicle owner and to their employer, who trusts them with the vehicle.

“It’s obviously a silly offence.”

Lead magistrate Elaine Konieczny said: “You are very lucky that you are still being employed.

“This offence is serious enough for a community penalty.”

Both men have been given six license points each and have been ordered to do 50 hours of unpaid work each.

They have also been ordered to pay a joint total of £590 to the court.