Three 'slip and trip' fraudsters face jail

Three fraudsters who faked a ‘slip and trip’ claim to con cash out of Havering Council face jail today.

Marc Bowyer, 27, claimed he tripped on a pothole in Havering following a night watching England play Paraguay in the 2006 World Cup finals.

His friend, James Jones, from Dagenham, backed up the story and called an ambulance. His father Richard Bowyer, 57, also backed up the story.

The claim was for thousands of pounds as Bowyer claimed he had suffered a double-fracture in the ankle.

Havering Council initially accepted the claim but later became suspicious and discovered that he had in fact fallen off a wall. Ambulance records also revealed Bowyer was picked up some way from the pothole.

Bowyer eventually withdraw his claim in 2010. He and James Jones have now pleaded guilty to Contempt of Court at the Royal Courts of Justice.

His father, Richard, was found guilty of contempt of court yesterday.

Sentencing of all three defendants will take place today. Each faces a maximum of two years imprisonment.

Cabinet Member for Value, Councillor Roger Ramsey, said:

“This case could have cost Havering Council well over £100,000. This is local taxpayers’ money and officers’ time which could be better spent on front-line services for the elderly and vulnerable.

“Claims against the public purse which are found to be fraudulent should be pursued in the strongest manner and the people responsible prosecuted.

“Mr Bowyer claimed that he tripped on pothole but when we looked into it, it seems the only hole is in his story.”