Burnley Brothers Jailed For 'Crash For Cash' Scam

15 September 2011, 18:29 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Two brothers at the heart of one of the country's biggest ever ``crash for cash'' car insurance scams in Lancashire have been jailed.

Police say 34 year old Rezwan Javed and his older brother 36 year old Rehan, made £995,915 from defrauding insurers after bogus bumps on the road.

The pair, both from Dovedale Close, Burnley, have been sentenced to jail at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester after being found guilty at an earlier trial of conspiracy to defraud and possession of an article for use in fraud.

They would get associates to drive around and stop at roundabouts. While the car behind them was looking right for traffic to clear so they could then edge forward, the Javeds' drivers in front would slam on their brakes, causing a shunt.

They then made bogus claims for repairs, write-offs and storage costs, also claiming there were three people in the car hit from behind. Each bogus claim netted around £3,000.

Rezwan Javed was sentenced to six years in prison and Rehan was sentenced to five years. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, they were both ordered to pay £156,000 and given six months to pay it.

If they do not there will be a two year four month prison sentence which will run consecutive to the sentence passed on Thursday.

Passing sentence Judge Bernard Lever said:

'What you developed was nothing short of a production line of fraud on an industrial scale. This is not a victimless crime either in financial or human terms.

'Some of the targeted occupants were elderly and children. Many lost their no claims bonus and had to pay greatly enhanced premiums. Some suffered trauma and nervous shock.

'I have required the prosecution to produce the exact and most recent statistics of motor insurance fraud, which is costing every motorist £44 per year per policy and the insurance industry £2 billion per year.'