Four jailed for write-offs scam

Four men have been jailed for an insurance scam involving written off cars being bought and then claimed to have involved in a further crash, the Lancashire Telegraph reports.

The ringleader bought the cars from a salvage firm and made the bogus insurance claim about a crash in Blackburn. Police proved the vehicles had never been repaired after the first crash.

Those sentenced were

• Ringleader Sajid Hanif, of Kingsway, Darwen.
• Stuart Lumb, 37, of Emerald Street, Blackburn, who falsely claimed to have recovered the vehicles from the accident.
• Dean Bibby, 21, of Dunster Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, allowed his bank account to be used and claimed he was the driver crashed into by Hanif.
• Mark Bibby, 25, of Bunkers Hill Close, Blackburn, who played no part in the planning of the fraud but was approached by Hanif. He later tried to access the money that had been credited to his brother's bank account by the insurance pay out.

All four admitted conspiracy to commit fraud.

Hanif, who had been recently sentenced to 21 months. He was also ordered to pay £7,050 compensation.

Lumb was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and ordered to pay £410 compensation.

Mark and Dean Bibby were each jailed for eight months. £7,200 was forfeited from Dean Bibby.

Jailing the four, Mrs Justice Swift DBE said such crimes led to the increase of premiums paid by ordinary motorists.