Tickets carried rogue trader's adverts

Vance Miller was jailed for five weeks in June 2003

A businessman jailed for ripping off his customers has been advertising his firm on parking tickets, it has emerged.

Manchester City Council began ripping up thousands of the pay and display tickets after it was revealed the adverts for cut price kitchens were linked to Vance Miller.

Miller, of Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, had breached a legal order designed to stop him from selling defective kitchens through Craftsmen Kitchens Ltd.

He was released from prison on Thursday after serving a five week sentence.

Manchester City Council said that when the adverts were submitted it did not realise they were linked to Miller.

'Nothing untoward'

A spokesman said: "The pay and display machines in Manchester city centre are operated by a company which sells the rear of the pay and display tickets for advertising.

"At the time when the adverts were booked, there was nothing seemingly untoward about a kitchen company promoting a discount or special offer and it is usual for this type of company to use this type of advertising medium.

"As a safeguard, steps have already been taken to remove these tickets from the pay and display machines and be replaced by tickets carrying other advertisements."

Miller was jailed in June after customers complained about his firm's poorly made kitchens.

He was originally sentenced at Manchester County Court to nine months in prison.

But this was cut to five weeks after he promised to clean up his act and employ management consultants to help him do so.