• Banned from holding or obtaining a licence in the motor vehicle industry
• Ordered not to be involved with a motor vehicle business
• Imprisoned for stealing $181,250 from three other dealers

A Cloverdale motor vehicle dealer who was imprisoned after being convicted of stealing has been disqualified from holding or obtaining a licence by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

Sasha James Grujin, trading as AAG Wholesale, was reprimanded and also banned from being involved in the management or conduct of a motor vehicle sales business, following a mediation. These disqualifications remain in place until further order from the SAT.

In December 2019, Mr Grujin was convicted of three stealing charges in the District Court and sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment but was eligible for parole. The conviction related to the sale between April and June 2018 of three vehicles to other dealers who had paid a total of $181,250, but the vehicles were never delivered. The Court ordered compensation be paid to reimburse the three dealers.

Mr Grujin’s motor vehicle dealer’s licence was issued in November 2017 and expired in November 2020.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection Gary Newcombe said the licensing system is designed to ensure that only fit and proper people operate in the motor vehicle industry.

“Criminal convictions must be revealed when applying for or while in possession of a licence and may result in the application being refused or action being taken in the SAT to have the licence cancelled,” Mr Newcombe said.

“This way the community can be confident that unfit people are prevented from being involved in the industry and its integrity remains intact.”

More information on motor vehicle licensing is available on the Consumer Protection website. Enquiries can be made by email consumer@demirs.wa.gov.au or by calling 1300 30 40 54.

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Media Contact: Alan Hynd, (08) 6552 9248 / 0429 078 791 / alan.hynd@demirs.wa.gov.au