Guilty verdict in first cash-for-crash fatality

Five people have been found guilty for their involvement in a staged road traffic accident in Denham that caused the death of an innocent member of the public.

Investigations by Thames Valley Police and Hill Dickinson found that the deliberate accident, arranged as part of a plan to commit insurance fraud, led to a second collision that caused the death of Baljinder Gill.

The case, heard at Reading Crown Court on 10 January, is the first of its kind in the UK, as the fraudulent collision led to the death of an innocent motorist.

Hill Dickinson director of intel and complex fraud Chris Hallet said: “Hill Dickinson fraud unit regularly works in partnership with regional police forces investigating cash for crash gangs. It has always been only a matter of time before an innocent road user was injured or killed. We welcomed the opportunity to work closely with Thames Valley Police and assist them, alongside our insurer client, during the early stages of their investigation into this tragic event. Our sympathies, thoughts and condolences go to the family of Baljinder Gill.”

Sgt Jim Upton from the Three Mile Cross Roads police department added: “This was a despicable act that led to the tragic death of an innocent motorist. They were purely motivated by greed and a determination to abuse the compensation culture that is prevalent in crash-for-cash. This is the first case of its kind in the UK and it has been a long, complex and protracted investigation.”

Colin Lee, 32, from Aylesbury, was found guilty of causing death by careless driving. Lee was the driver of the van that fatally collided with the victim’s car.

Andrzej Boguslaw Skowron, 25, from Wembley, has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and conspiracy to commit fraud.

Radoslaw Piotr Bielawski, 24, from Greenford, has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and conspiracy to commit fraud. He had already pleaded guilty to doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Jacek Kowalczyk, 32, from Perivale, Greenford, has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, conspiracy to commit fraud and doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

Artur Okrutny, 23, from London, has been convicted of doing acts tending to pervert the course of justice.

The men have all been bailed until 15 February to be sentenced at Reading Crown Court.