A COUPLE who run a garage have admitted turning thousands of miles back on the clocks of cars to dupe buyers.Karl and Helen Baxter of H and K Autos of Paper Mill Lane, Bramford, near Ipswich, were told they may face a prison sentence.

A COUPLE who run a garage have admitted turning thousands of miles back on the clocks of cars to dupe buyers.

Karl and Helen Baxter of H and K Autos of Paper Mill Lane, Bramford, near Ipswich, were told they may face a prison sentence.

Appearing at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday, Mr Baxter, 39, pleaded guilty to 21 charges of obtaining property by deception during 2003 and 2004. His wife, 28, admitted four similar charges.

He also pleaded guilty to four counts of using a false instrument while Mrs Baxter admitted one count of this offence.

Mr Baxter also admitted two charges of obtaining money transfers by deception and his wife admitted one similar charge. The couple's address was given as Hilton Road, Ipswich.

Francis Wragg, 41, of Kelly Road, Ipswich, who worked for the company, denied four counts of obtaining property by deception.

Matthew McNiff, prosecuting, offered no evidence on these four charges and invited the court to discharge Wragg and allow him to leave the dock.

He said the guilty pleas entered by the Baxters were acceptable and the not guilty pleas would remain on file.

Judge David Goodin said: “The offences you pleaded guilty to are serious and may result in you going straight into custody.

“Both your advocates have asked for pre-sentence reports but the sentencing judge will not be bound to what the reports recommend.”

Both defendants were released from the court on bail and were told to return on February 22 when they are due to be sentenced.

The charges follow a raid on the garage carried out by Suffolk County Council's Trading Standards department.

When the trio originally appeared before South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court they were accused of more than 60 offences.

It is alleged that thousands of miles had been wound back on the milometer of cars sold at the garage which enabled them to be sold on at inflated prices.