A company director who ran a “meet and greet” service at Gatwick and then parked customer’s cars in muddy fields and public car parks has been given an eight month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Shagufta Khan, 42 and a director of Best Meet and Greet Ltd, was also ordered to carry out 50 hours of community service, after admitting to Hove Crown Court engaging in unfair and misleading commercial practice.

Khan’s website lied to customers “We store your car in our parking facility, which is manned and guarded 24/7”. Judge Roger Chapple told Khan “Your customers were treated with contempt”.

The case was brought, following customer complaints, by the Trading Standards team at West Sussex County Council, which are also bringing a case against Asad Bashir Malik of London Parking Gatwick (LPG) Ltd, on similar grounds. Malik,37, is accused of making more than £1million over two years by claiming that a picture of a secure car park at a hospital in Scotland, 400 miles away showed his parking facility.

Last year hundreds of customers were left stranded at Gatwick when Gatwick First Parking ceased trading and its director, 31 year old Umar Irshac is believed by West Sussex Trading Standards to have fled to Pakistan.