Car accident claim news
06/03/2009

Sentences handed out to no win, no fee chancers

Five people from Bolton who conspired to make a fraudulent no win, no fee car accident claim have been sentenced for their crime.

A 32-year-old man received an 18-month custodial sentence after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud, while two other members of the car accident claim gang received suspended sentences and community service orders for the same offence. The final member of the gang, a 43-year-old woman, was subjected to a 12-month community order, also for conspiracy to defraud.

Suspicions about the no win, no fee crash claimants were first raised in 2002, not long after the "accident", and the relevant insurance company successfully contested its validity in the civil court.

The case's investigating police officer said that he hopes the "conviction serves as a warning that fraud is a serious offence that Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating no matter how long it takes."

He also said that the car accident claim "illustrated the unbelievable lengths some people will go to for money."

The gang had hoped that their claim would secure them as much as £250,000 personal injury compensation.