A former used car salesman in Lower Sackville, N.S., was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison on a charge of fraud over $5,000, in a case the judge called a dream car purchase that "turned into an absolute nightmare scenario."

Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice James Chipman said Darren Blumenthal "preyed upon" Melanie Pottie and Chris Bezanson, a young couple who purchased a 2013 Subaru BRZ from Great Buys Auto Sales in 2015 for more than $33,000 with a car loan.

Blumenthal told the couple if they needed to return the car, he would buy it back.

The following week, Bezanson lost his job and Blumenthal agreed to buy the car back for $25,000 if the couple would get additional financing to cover the remainder of the loan.

Pottie and Bezanson got an additional $11,500 loan and gave the money to Blumenthal who agreed to pay off their car loan debt.

Blumenthal never repaid the loans and subsequently resold the vehicle.

Melanie Pottie and Chris Bezanson were left with bad credit and no car after they made a deal with Blumenthal. (CBC)

Chipman told Blumenthal that his actions had a "significant impact" on Pottie and Bezanson, causing stress and damage to their credit rating.

The couple told their story to CBC in 2016. At the time, Pottie said she wasn't sleeping because of the financial stress and the dishonesty.

"I have no faith in businesses and buying anything. I just don't. I don't have any trust anymore," she said at the time.

In addition to the prison term, Blumenthal also was ordered to pay over $33,000 restitution to RBC, which financed the car loan, and almost $14,000 to the couple.

The 2013 Subaru BRZ that Melanie Pottie and Chris Bezanson purchased from Great Buys Auto Sales in Lower Sackville. (Melanie Pottie)

Crown attorney Erica Koresawa said the prison term sends a strong message to Blumenthal and others.

"When you're conducting business and you're thinking of fraudulent activity, that's going to be looked at very concerningly and the court's going to take a strong view of these so-called white-collar crimes," Koresawa said.

Before sentencing, Blumenthal apologized to Pottie and Bezanson as well as his friends and family.

He is in the process of declaring bankruptcy and has recently undergone emergency bowel surgery. He told the court he plans to find work as soon as he's released so he can make restitution.

Blumenthal has 25 previous convictions. He is also facing 11 other charges in connection with a separate incident involving a stolen rifle.