A NEWPORT man who staged a car crash in a bid to defraud an insurance company of more than £40,000 was jailed on Friday.

Nasir Ali, his wife Zeabun Mukhtar, both 39 of Glebe Street, Faisal Bibi, 36, of Ennerdale Court, Nishat Mukhtar, 18, Safina Mukhtar, 38, and Manzooran Bibi, 58, all of Eton Road, all Newport, appeared in Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing having previously admitted fraud by making false representations.

Prosecutor Caroline Rees said Ali suggested to Bilal in April 2010 that they stage an accident between their cars and make a false claim for damages and personal injury from their insurers, Aviva.

Mrs Rees said Bilal initially refused, but then agreed and on April 25, 2010, the two men took their cars to an area of Newport, where Bilal drove his Daewoo into the drivers’ door of Ali’s Vauxhall Tigra.

Mrs Rees said Ali gave Bilal details of people he was to say were in the car at the time of the accident, including Ali’s wife Zeabun Mukhtar. Ali then put in his own claim, stating that the remaining defendants were in his vehicle.

Aviva became suspicious of the claim and launched an investigation. The fraud came to light when Bilal was being interviewed by insurance assessors and confessed. Mrs Rees said although no money had been paid out the potential insurance pay out was £42,495.

Representing Bilal. James Tucker, said Bilal suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and had come to the UK as an asylum seeker. He said Bilal accepted he was one of the principal facilitators of the offence, but had also proactively acted to stop it going further.

Ali’s counsel, Hashim Salmaan said Ali accepted instigating the offences and knew that nothing short of a custodial sentence was justified.

Counsel for other four defendants, all of whom are Ali’s relatives, said they signed documents given to them by Ali and did not appreciate the consequences of their actions.

Judge David Wynn Morgan said the fraud was “carefully planned” and “ruthlessly executed.”

Ali was jailed for 14 months, Bilal was given a 51-week sentence suspended for two years, a two-year supervision order and a three-month curfew.

Zeabyn Mukhtar was made the subject of a 12-month intensive alternative to custody order and a 12-month supervision order and ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work. Nishat Mukhtar, Safina Mukhtar and Manzooran Bibi were given 12-month community orders.

Detective Constable Michelle Morris who led the investigation said after the hearing: “Our Force has a dedicated financial investigation unit with a team of officers who look into fraud cases including motor insurance – we will pursue those committing such crimes and work with the Crown Prosecution Service to bring them to justice.”