Former Kildare Town Car Dealer Convicted Of Misleading Buyer Over Vehicle History

Tuesday, 6 January 2026 10:18

By Martin Osborne - Head Of News

Following a prosecution by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Ionut Nitulescu admitted providing false information during the sale of a car.

A former Kildare town car dealer has pleaded guilty to misleading a consumer about the history of a second-hand vehicle.

Following a prosecution by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Ionut Nitulescu admitted providing false information during the sale of a car.

At Naas District Court yesterday morning, Mr Nitulescu was fined €2,000 and ordered to pay €8,145 in legal costs to the CCPC.

Both amounts must be paid within six months.

The court also heard that he is in the process of paying €8,700 in compensation to the consumer.

Mr Nitulescu, formerly of John O’Donnell Motors in Kildare Town, was prosecuted after a CCPC investigation found he had misled a buyer about a car’s previous damage.

The court heard that in November 2022, a consumer bought an Audi A4 after seeing it advertised on DoneDeal.

After travelling to the dealer’s premises, the buyer was given misleading information about the vehicle’s history and purchased the car for €8,700, trading in another vehicle as part of the deal.

The CCPC says providing false or deceptive information about a car’s history is an offence under consumer protection law.

It has warned that it will continue inspections and enforcement action against traders who mislead consumers.

Motorists are being advised to carry out car history checks before buying, while anyone who believes they have been misled is encouraged to contact the CCPC consumer helpline.