Special all-day court sitting saw 40 people appear in the morning and the rest in the afternoon

A 71-year-old woman was among 84 people who appeared in court yesterday accused of being involved in a ‘cash for crash’ insurance scam.

The special all-day sitting at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court in South Wales saw 40 people appear in the morning, speaking only to confirm their names and addresses, while the rest appeared in the afternoon.

Charges included fraud against insurance firms, conspiracy to steal vehicles and money laundering.

The case follows a two-year investigation by Gwent Police into a cash for crash scheme where accidents are staged to defraud insurance companies, the BBC reports.

Two more people are set to appear in court next week, bringing the total to 86.