Unhappy Customer Armed Himself For Car Lot Confrontation

Unhappy car buyer Peter Luke

A disgruntled Hayes second-hand car buyer, who armed himself with a metal pole and chain during an angry face-to-face confrontation with the dealer, avoided prison yesterday with a suspended sentence.

Peter Luke, 50, of Elmlea Drive was arrested along with his brother after returning to the Croydon lot to demand a refund.

Merril Luke, 52, of Lady Margaret Road, Southall was cleared along with Peter of assaulting the dealer and his assistant.

However, Peter was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury of possessing the offensive weapons in Redhouse Industrial Estate, Redhouse Road on August 22, 2011.

He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for twelve months, ordered to perform 100 hours community service work and pay £1,000 costs.

After a series of angry text messages exchanged between the dealer and one of the brothers they arrived at his car lot to 'sort him out' the jury were told.

Trouble started after Peter bought a Chrysler Voyager from Mr. Sohil Nasarzadeh – nicknamed 'Sam' – and complained the battery was flat as well as reporting other faults.

“Peter maintains the car was in unroadworthy condition and reported the problems to Sam who tried to sort them out,” prosecutor Mr. Jonathan Edwards told the court.

“Peter became angry and in text messages was threatening to sort Sam out and these ended with Mr. Nasarzadeh telling him to: 'F*** off.'

“The brothers visited the car lot and Peter was worked up and angry and his grievance with Sam was obvious.

“He was shouting in his face, so close he was spitting in Sam's face.”

Peter, the jury were told, shouted at Mr. Nasarzadeh: “Don't talk to me like that you foreign c***.”

Mr. Edwards added: “Sam tried to call the police and Peter tried to grab the phone and then he tried to grab the keys from out of Sam's car.”

As the row escalated Peter produced the iron bar and the heavy-duty chain was found in his pocket when he was searched by police.

When quizzed, Peter Luke complained the car he bought was unroadworthy and the alleged weapons were not to be used, but merely act as a “deterrent.”