Man ‘hit by car’ is arrested by fraud squad

THE fraud squad has arrested a man who sought more than €60,000 in damages after claiming he needed crutches and a wheelchair after being struck by a car, but was later filmed walking.

The Mail can reveal that detectives yesterday arrested Constantin Iosca, 40, Scholar’s Walk, Lusk, Co. Dublin, and a woman for conspiracy to commit fraud offences.

In January, Mr Iosca sued the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) which compensates victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. He sought more than €60,000 after claiming to have suffered serious back pain after his bike was struck by the car, which was never found.

However footage was later produced in court of Mr Iosca walking to a car, removing crutches from plastic wrapping and picking up a wheelchair before placing it in the boot.

The video shot by a security firm on behalf of the MIBI showed Mr Iosca arriving in Dublin city centre and getting into the wheelchair and being pushed to a building where his medical appointment is taking place. It also showed him using the crutches to climb the steps but sometime after the medical appointment he is recorded in another part of the city walking unaided. Later returning home, Mr Iosca lifted the wheelchair and crutches out of the car and brought them into the house.

On January 28, counsel for Mr Iosca told the court his client was withdrawing the case. Judge Kevin Cross awarded costs to the MIBI against Mr Iosca. Previously, Mr Iosca told the court he suffered serious back pain and considerable disruption to his life as a result of being hit by a car while cycling in Lusk on June 1, 2016. The car was never traced, the court heard.

He said he was brought by ambulance to the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital where he was kept overnight for observation and discharged the following day on crutches.

In a statement issued after the case was withdrawn, MIBI chief executive David Fitzgerald said: ‘Thanks to a comprehensive investigation, we were able to provide evidence which strongly rebutted the claim being made.’

A Garda statement yesterday stated: ‘Gardaí attached to the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau have arrested two persons... in relation to an investigation for conspiracy to defraud.’

It added that the man and woman are both currently detained at Ballymun Garda station.

He was recorded walking unaided