Facebook wedding snaps that exposed £25k car crash con
THEY are typical wedding day snaps: the bride and groom, and the ushers posing in matching Highland outfits.
But for one of the country’s biggest insurance companies, they were a vital piece of evidence – proof of a £25,000 scam.
The pictures were posted on Facebook by personal trainer Richard King, of Carnoustie, Angus, after his wedding.
But they ended up playing a crucial role in a court case when roofer Patrick Allen of Dundee demanded an insurance payout from Direct Line.
The two men posed as strangers who had had a car crash.
But when Mr Allen demanded £25,000, Direct Line turned detective and discovered the online pictures which proved the pair were friends.
Earlier this month, a sheriff threw out the compensation case. As well as casting doubt on whether there had ever been a crash, the sheriff ruled the men were neither ‘credible’ nor ‘reliable’ and suggested they may have tried to ‘obtain compensation by means of deception’.
Now the pair could face criminal charges for fraud.
Last night, Direct Line said: ‘The judgment should serve as a stark warning to those who seek to commit insurance fraud in the future. The cost of fraudulent claims adds £50 a year to the average household’s premiums.’
Mr King, 47, and Mr Allen, 35, claimed they were in an accident on the outskirts of Carnoustie on August 18, 2014.
The pair – who said they were complete strangers – described how, on a foggy night, Mr King pulled out of a junction without being able to see properly and Mr Allen crashed into the side of his car. Both agreed the fault lay with Mr King and Mr Allen launched a claim with Mr King’s insurance company, Direct Line, worth £25,000.
Assessors became suspicious after examining the damage to the cars. The firm’s counterfraud team then went online and unearthed the wedding pictures which proved the men were lying about being strangers.
One photo – posted in April 2014, four months before the claim – showed Mr Allen as part of Mr King’s wedding party.
As a result, Direct Line refused to pay.
Mr Allen went to court but on November 29 last year a sheriff ruled that Direct Line did not owe the £25,544.22 and requested the case be passed to the procurator fiscal to decide if criminal proceedings should be taken.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard Mr King and Mr Allen attended the same gym and had each other’s mobile numbers.
In a recently published ruling, Sheriff Pino Di Emidio said: ‘There was good reason in this case to think the alleged accident may have been fabricated.’
The Crown Office confirmed that it had asked Police Scotland to investigate.
Mr Allen said: ‘It is crazy how this has happened. I don’t know the gentleman at all. I had been to his wedding because my partner had been invited – and I just tagged along, as you do. I admit it’s me in the picture, but I really don’t know the guy. There were 300 people at the wedding.’
Mr King could not be contacted for comment.
‘Neither credible nor reliable’