Crime Solicitors

A semi-pro football player and former Miss England contestant has been jailed for two months, after being convicted of making a fraudulent insurance claim for whiplash following a car accident in Birmingham City Centre.

The Daily Mail reports that Amy Laban, 25, and a friend Laura Hazeldine, 24, were involved in a car accident in Birmingham in April 2012 – and afterwards the pair filed an insurance claim for whiplash.

However, insurance investigators found that, while she was supposedly suffering from the effects of whiplash injuries, Ms Laban was training for a charity skydive and playing football regularly.

Following the car accident she had made a claim for £3,000 in compensation for alleged whiplash injuries suffered from insurance company esure.

esure hired investigators to ensure that Ms Laban’s claim was genuine.
However, they discovered that, despite her supposed injuries, she was taking part in a skydive, training for Miss England and playing for Birmingham.

Investigators also found a photo of Laban online riding a mechanical rodeo bull, just weeks after the crash – which she claimed had seriously restricted her mobility.

The court heard that she had modelled for Gap as a child, had been a semi-finalist in Miss England 2012 -and played for Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest ladies’ football clubs.

When Laban failed to attend medical appointments, lawyers acting for esure successfully applied for the High Court to dismiss the claims.

After investigators uncovered the fraud, Laban pleaded guilty to contempt of court.

However, she said she only lied because a claims company had put pressure on her to demand a payout.

Laban was jailed by the High Court alongside Laura Hazeldine. Sentencing the pair to two months' jail each yesterday, Judge Nigel Godsmark said:

“The claim was fraudulent right from the start.

“People think this is a victimless crime – however, it uses the courts' resources to facilitate the crime, it uses insurers' resources. Genuine claimants have the eye of suspicion cast on their claims.

“The courts have stressed repeatedly that those who commit this must receive prison sentences.”

Laban said that one particularly persistent company had persuaded her to demand a payout – and had also persuaded her to get Hazeldine involved in the insurance claim.

In a statement Laban said she was, “young, vulnerable, stupid – but also taken advantage of by a claims company”.

Hazeldine had confessed that she had “stupidly and naïvely” gone along with the suggestion of making a whiplash claim.

Spokesman for esure, David Pitt, said:

“We are delighted to secure this conviction – which adds weight to the insurance industry's fight against fraudulent claims.

“Convictions such as this are crucial in sending out a message to other would-be fraudsters – and should serve as a warning to anyone who still thinks that making an exaggerated insurance claim is acceptable.”

Duncan Lewis Fraud Lawyers

Duncan Lewis fraud lawyers can advise at any stage of a criminal charge involving fraud, including fraudulent personal injury claims, insurance fraud, motor insurance fraud, benefit fraud and white collar crime.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and a criminal defence solicitor can usually reach a police station for interview under caution within 45 minutes.

For expert legal advice on all fraud charges, call Duncan Lewis fraud lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

For 24/7 help at a police station, call the Duncan Lewis Emergency Hotline on 020 7275 2036.