A man who staged at least 93 car crashes in a campaign of fraudulent insurance claims has been ordered to pay back some of his profits.
But despite having made more than £46,000 from the scheme, which saw him charging £500 for each smash, 24-year-old Mohammed Patel will pay back only £1 - after police found no assets in his name.
Patel was jailed in October for his role in a series of supposed accidents, most of which took place on the same roundabout on the A34 in Cheadle. Clients, whose cars he was driving, would subsequently make exaggerated car insurance claims for damage and personal injuries.
The scam was uncovered when eagle-eyed office staff working nearby realised that the accidents involved the same driver, and informed insurers of their suspicions.
But while Patel was found to have no identifiable assets from the crimes, Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court heard last week that his then-girlfriend, Ettorina Hay, had benefited to the tune of £35,000.
Hay, who in December was handed a 12-month suspended sentence after she admitted possession and conversion of criminal property, was ordered to repay £12,953 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Most of this sum has been paid off after police seized and sold two luxury cars - a Mercedes and a huge Lincoln Navigator 4x4 - which were registered in her name.
"Hay had her suspicions over Patel always having large sums of cash at his disposal, yet she took it regardless," explained Sergeant Mark Beales from Greater Manchester Police.
"She no doubt benefited significantly from Patel's criminality and now the justice system is taking money back for victims of crime."
