There are many instances in UK law in which your car can be confiscated and, in the most extreme cases, crushed, as businessman Zahid Khan discovered much to his disgust.
Khan, a millionaire, was stopped by police in April, 2017, while driving his beloved white Ferrari 458 Spider. The police believed the car to be stolen, and took it away from the distressed owner.
West Midlands Police then discovered the Ferrari was not insured, and also decreed it was a ‘category B’ vehicle. This is a class of car that is deemed unroadworthy for one of various reasons, and that – by law – has to be destroyed to prevent further use.
Proof of Ownership
The police case centred around proof of ownership, which Mr Khan could not provide. He claimed he had bought the Ferrari legitimately at auction – although did so ‘via a middleman’ – and that he had spent a great deal of money making it roadworthy.
Despite his claims to have ordered genuine Ferrari parts, and had them fitted by a certified Ferrari garage in Birmingham, the police still received no definite proof of ownership.
Mr Khan has obtained the video of the Ferrari 458 being crushed – almost a year after the event – and has posted it on social media networks, claiming it shows his Ferrari being ‘crushed unlawfully’.
Legal Battle
Mr Khan explains that he had been involved in a legal battle to reclaim the Ferrari, and only found it had been crushed when he appeared in court. The police are within their rights to destroy the vehicle as it was uninsured, and proof of ownership cannot be obtained.
He expressed his dissatisfaction with this situation, stating that the car was ‘of sentimental value’.
The moral of the story is, if you don’t want your Ferrari crushed, make sure you have all the documentation required to prove it is legitimately yours, and keep your insurance up to date.
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