Car businessman fined €30,000 for price-fixing

A classic cartel designed to corrupt the market and squeeze consumers of cars was operated by the Irish Ford Dealers Association, a Central Criminal Court judge said tonight as he fined their secretary €30,000 and imposed a one year suspended jail sentence.

Mr Justice Liam MacKechnie said in the course of sentencing Denis Manning (aged 68), of 11 Allendale Avenue, Melbourn Estate, Bishopstown, Cork, that the activities of the cartel represented a shocking display which he also described in various aspects as obnoxious, pernicious and a crime against consumers.