A car dealer convicted of illegal street dealing has denied selling cars from his home and nearby residential streets.

Graham Sheekey, 52, of Hortus Road in Chingford, used Auto Trader to advertise cars sold through his registered business, Connaught Motor Company.

Waltham Forest Council investigated the second-hand car dealership following complaints from neighbours that Mr Sheekey was using his home and nearby Elmfield Road as a car lot without a street trading licence.

On April 25, Mr Sheekey was found guilty at Thames Magistrates Court of 12 counts of unlicensed street dealing.

He was ordered to pay £400 for each of the 12 offences, totalling £4,800, and £1,160 in legal costs.

Although Mr Sheekey admitted offering some of them for sale, he claims none of cars were sold from his property or on the street.

"The fines are ridiculous. All I did was park 12 cars in the road, it’s not like I was blocking people’s drives," the 52-year-old said.

"My cars were advertised through Auto Trader and were only being sold through the internet.

"90 per cent of the time, the cars were sold from a friend’s commercial premises in Sewardstone Road."

Following the investigation, Mr Sheekey said he has “taken note” of the council and found a premise in Walthamstow, which is being used as a storage yard.

He also considering appealing against the fines, which he labelled "insane" and "outrageous". 

The neighbour who alerted the council is according to Mr Sheekey, a Waltham Forest environmental health officer living in Endlebury Road, Chingford.