An entrepreneur whose amphibious car was condemned by a judge as a “floating coffin” is selling a new water vehicle - complete with a fishing rod.

Just one month after being convicted of selling a potential death trap to a family man, Tim Dutton, owner of Amphijeep in Arun Shipyard, Littlehampton, is advertising his latest invention.

His 4x4 amphibious Suzuki Jimny, with a top speed in water of 6mph, is on the market for £35,000 - but for an extra £32 comes complete with a fishing rod holder attached to its door.

Mr Dutton said he took inspiration from the Rolls-Royce Phantom, which has umbrellas attached to the doors to stop its wealthy owners getting wet when leaving the vehicle.

His advertising campaign reads: “Having an umbrella in your door was so last year, we present the next logical step, a fishing rod in your amphibious car.

“Now available as an optional extra on the Dutton Commander at £32 inc vat each side (less rod).”

Mr Dutton said: “We have sold about 110 brand new amphibious cars but this latest model with the fishing road is four wheel drive, which means it can drive easily over sand.”

At a hearing at Carlisle Crown Court last month, Mr Dutton was convicted of breaking trading standards laws for selling a leaky water car to family man Adrian Cowdroy.

He was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, ordered to do 150 hours unpaid community work, pay £2,000 costs and £28,500 compensation to Mr Cowdroy.

In court, his solicitor said he might have to sell his £130,000 flat to meet the court costs.

But Mr Dutton claims this will no longer be the case and he is confident the conviction will be quashed on appeal.

Mr Dutton, of Park Crescent, Worthing said: “The judge said we made a ’floating coffin’ but there is no such thing.

“You can have either a floating boat or sinking coffin, not a combination of the both and the judge used that language to add to the theatre of the court room.

“It hasn’t damaged our reputation. The type of people who buy amphibious cars are intelligent and can judge if they are safe for themselves.

“Since the court case, nobody has come up to me and said I was going to buy an amphibious car but now I’m worried.

“We have never lost a car or had one sink. I have crossed the English Channel in two of them and I can’t even swim.”