A MAN has appeared in court to deny 24 charges of fraud, car theft and misleading practices relating to vehicle trading.

Andrew Robson pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of fraud, six of theft and four of engaging in misleading or unfair commercial practices.

The alleged offences are said to span a period of more than two years, between December 2014 and March this year.

In one charge, Mr Robson, 33, is accused of defrauding one man by making an untrue or misleading claim that a Suzuki Vitara had no faults.

Stockton Council accuses him of committing similar frauds against 13 more people.

It is alleged he stole vehicles, including two Mercedes Benz and a Land Rover Freelander, from six people including four complainants named in some of the fraud charges.

Mr Robson faces three allegations of engaging in a commercial practice with a misleading action in a trade.

The prosecution says three people were given false information - that a Ford Transit van could be classified as a camper van through the DVLA and that refunds were only available for major mechanical, engine or gearbox failures.

It is also alleged he engaged in an unfair commercial practice by failing to repair a Honda Civic.

Robert Mochrie, defending, told Teesside Crown Court: “The defendant denies that he was dishonest in relation to any count.

“He believed all cars were roadworthy.”

Judge Simon Hickey said: “I’m told this is a trial. I’m not setting a trial date because there is further work to be done in this case.”

He bailed Mr Robson, of Oaklea Close, Norton, near Stockton, until a further case management hearing next January.