Final Statement

This web site is not meant to offend those who have derived pleasure from the ownership of kit cars or amphibious craft of one type or another. 

In 2005 I bought into the "Dutton brand" There was no mention of his full trading history on his web site, this was only updated after the names of his previous dissolved companies were disclosed during the court case.  Had we been aware of his trading history we would have acted more cautiously. 

I came from a normal working class background and wasn't one of those customers Dutton in his own words described in court as having "more money than they know what to do with"  I sank everything into my dream of running my own business, my life savings, a substantial business loan and small inheritance left to me by my mother.  I also placed complete trust in Dutton.

Even after so many problems were identified after delivery of the vehicle, and it was imediately refused a license to operate on the lake,  Dutton was given every opportunity to sort things out. We had already paid the full amount for the vehicle on his own insistence on delivery. 

This in hindsight was very naive of me, but doesn't make me a criminal. After this point his attitude towards us became increasingly evasive and arrogant, making it impossible to deal with him directly.  We were well and truly backed into a corner.   Deprived of our major business asset, we ended up with spiraling debts, embroiled in a lengthy  civil and then criminal court case.  The net result was, we lost our business and home, whilst Dutton moved to a larger premises and boasted of many business success's.

I eventually ended up having to move into a homeless hostel with my partner and young child.  Dutton aware of our situation could only respond by naming his new production vehicle "Lakelander" after the company I had lost.

So for this and the sense of injustice any right thinking person would feel in our situation, I make no apologies for this web site.

In Crown court I had to listen to  Dutton take the oath and then procceed to tell lie after lie about me, even trying to paint me as a bully who intimidated him into making these dangerous modifications to the vehicle.  Fortunately the jury saw straight through his stories, and his own employee when called to give evidence denied I was a bully, and said I  acted no  differently to any other customer .  Dutton even presented a document to the court  as one he had given to me at the time of delivery.  Again, unfortunately for Dutton the document had his new trading name (Amphijeep Ltd) and address in the top right hand corner 

Dutton in crown court claimed to be "as poor as a church mouse" and in magistrates court on the 18th January 2010 during his hearing to try to get the amount of compensation reduced, also claimed that he has sold only one amphibious vehicle since 2008!

At the same hearing he also asked why I hadn't sold the vehicle, until it was pointed out to him that it wasn't mine to sell, and that even if it had been mine to sell, why on principal, would there be any good reason for me to attempt to sell a vehicle to an unsuspecting customer that had been roundly  condemned as a death trap and floating coffin, by all that have witnessed it including, Trading Standards, Marine Surveyors and boat safety inspectors, V.O.S.A inspectors, Lakes Wardens, Firemen, Judge and Jury!   I guess we all have different principles.

Dutton has very recently been asked to make more updates to his web site by Worthing trading standards after it was pointed out to them that he was still talking about Amphijeep as a limited company on his history page as recently as January 2010 even though that company ceased trading in December 2008.  This he has done, but his history page now excludes any mention of "Amphibious Cars Ltd" the company I invested in, in 2005.  There is also no mention of why the company was wound up in 2006.  I will be happy to amend this statement should he choose to do so.

Tim dutton has yet to pay us a penny in compensation, and to be honest my expectations are very low.  The £28,500 we have been awarded is a fraction of what we have actually lost, and can never account for the stress and anguish we have suffered over the years.  I do not want the same to happen to anyone else!

Adrian Cowdroy