A car salesman who pocketed cash from a dealership in a series of fraudulent transactions in Tunbridge Wells has been ordered to pay back almost £8,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Brett King, 35, worked at a showroom in Dowding Way and stole money on more than 60 occasions between November 1, 2014 and October 1, 2016.

King would submit order forms to show lower deposit amounts than what had been paid by the customer and then pocketed the difference, also faking customer's signatures on the forms.

Police were alerted to reports of suspicious activity by the dealership during October 2016 and King admitted he had taken money from the business when interviewed by officers.

At Maidstone Crown Court it was established he had benefited from his criminal conduct by £16,000.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud by abuse of position and, on September 6 last year, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.

King, of Townsend Road, Stone Cross, Pevensey, East Sussex, was also ordered to complete 200 hours unpaid work.

Following sentencing officers from Kent Police’s serious economic crime unit investigated King’s lifestyle and background and a confiscation order was made against him at a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing, held at Maidstone Crown Court on January 10.

He was ordered to pay back available assets of £7,946 within three months.

If King fails to comply with the order he will have serve a prison sentence of four months and still have to pay back the money.