Crash for cash five sentenced for £132k bogus claims

Stephen Pegram, 50, was jailed when sentenced alongside four others at Newport Crown Court

Five people snared in the UK's biggest car insurance fraud investigation have been sentenced at Newport Crown Court.

Bethan Palmer, 26, of Newport, Stephen Pegram, 50, of Blackwood, Nicola Cook, 41, of Hengoed, Nicola Rees, 48, of Bargoed, Caerphilly County, and Stephen Brooks, of Cardiff, were convicted last month.

They were involved in claims worth £132,000 between 2009 and 2011.

The total number of convictions in relation to the scam has now hit 81.

Judge Daniel Williams said each claim involved "dishonesty sustained over a long time", adding the cost to motor insurance companies of this type of fraud is "immense".

He told the defendants: "The preparedness of people like you to make false claims has spawned an industry of accident management companies and teams of lawyers and doctors and others who are capitalising, knowingly or unknowingly, with fraud by unquestioningly processing false claims."

Palmer was given a 10-month sentence, suspended for two years, after she was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud and perverting the course of justice.

However, she made no claim herself and received no money.

Pegram was jailed for six months, after he was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud at Cardiff Crown Court over a £4,200 payment he received when his car was written-off.

In total, he was involved in £19,000 of claims.

Some of the 57 cars crashed for cash in the wider scheme

Mother-of-two Cook was handed 12 months, following her conviction on the conspiracy offence; this related to a £5,500 injury claim she made.

Rees, a nurse, had a nine month sentence suspended for two years after she was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud in relation to £22,000 of claims.

She personally made a claim worth £1,350 and did not actually receive any money.

Brooks, of Llanedeyrn - who was also convicted of the conspiracy charge in connection with claims worth £19,500 - was handed a six month sentence that was suspended for two years.

The wider case, uncovered by Gwent Police's Operation Dino, involved 28 separate claims and 57 cars, costing the insurance industry more than £760,000.

Masterminds

It operated out of a garage based in Pengam, Blackwood, which was known as both St David's Crash Repair and Easifix and owned by the Yandell family.

Gwent Police has said they were the masterminds, providing the insurance fraud service for scores of friends and relatives.

Byron Yandell, 32, his father Peter Yandell, 53 and wife Rachel Yandell, 31, along with Gavin Yandell, 31, and Michelle Yandell, 52, were all jailed for between six and two years.

• The Great Car Crash Con, is on the BBC News Channel at 19:30 GMT on Friday. The full Week In Week Out programme is also available on BBC iPlayer