‘Mr M’ gets six months in prison after DNA linked him to the crime
A Hastings Direct team has helped secure a six-month jail sentence for a teacher that committed motor fraud.
The fraudster, 41-year-old ‘Mr M’ from Worcestershire, claimed that his £1,500 Volvo had been stolen. However, DNA found on the car’s airbag proved that Mr M had crashed the car after a night out drinking.
When Mr M made a claim on 19 March last year, Hastings Direct suspected fraud and deployed its team of former police officers to investigate.
The team found that the Volvo had none of the damage it would expect to find on a stolen car, and then asked Worcestershire Police to investigate further.
A forensic team then found Mr M’s DNA on the airbag, proving he had been driving at the time of the accident.
Mr M appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court on 1 December 2011 and pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation. He was remanded to 23 December for sentencing, when he received six months’ imprisonment.
Hastings Direct head of counter-fraud Paul Priestley said: “We have invested heavily in our anti-fraud techniques and our work is both award-winning and effective. We believe that this investment is necessary to ensure we are at the forefront of the industry fighting fraud to protect our honest customers.”
Insurance Fraud Bureau acting director Phil Bird said: “The industry is closing the net on all types of insurance fraud, including cases like this where the attempt is opportunistic in nature. This conviction sends a clear message to anyone attempting to mislead their insurer.”
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