Ebay seller admits sale fix

THE first eBay seller in Britain to be prosecuted for online auction fixing has been warned he could face jail as his sentencing was adjourned.

Paul Barrett, 39, from Stanley, Co Durham, was due to be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court after bidding against himself on the online auction website.

But Judge Robert Bartfield adjourned the hearing for four weeks for pre-sentence reports and told Barrett all sentencing options were open.

Barrett, a minibus hire firm boss, was investigated by North Yorkshire Trading Standards after a complaint that he had advertised and sold a minibus on eBay with false low mileage.

Officers found he was selling goods on the auction website under the user name “shanconpaul”, then bidding on them using the identity “paulthebusman”.

Barrett earlier pleaded guilty to 10 offences at Skipton Magistrates’ Court after using two separate eBay accounts to bid on and increase the prices of his own items.

He also admitted another charge relating to the sale of the minibus. He told the court he did not realise bidding on his own items was a criminal offence.

He will be sentenced on July 5.