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| David Ribchester jailed for £1m insurance fraud claim | David Ribchester jailed for £1m insurance fraud claim |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man who falsely claimed nearly £1m in compensation has been jailed for eight months. | A man who falsely claimed nearly £1m in compensation has been jailed for eight months. |
| David Ribchester of the John F Kennedy Estate in Washington, said wrist injuries stopped him from driving, claiming £923,000 from insurers. | David Ribchester of the John F Kennedy Estate in Washington, said wrist injuries stopped him from driving, claiming £923,000 from insurers. |
| He was caught driving and at rugby training by insurance investigators. | He was caught driving and at rugby training by insurance investigators. |
| The 31-year-old, who previously admitted fraud by false representation, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London on Thursday. | The 31-year-old, who previously admitted fraud by false representation, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London on Thursday. |
| Ribchester hurt both wrists in a workplace accident in February 2006. | Ribchester hurt both wrists in a workplace accident in February 2006. |
| Greed was motive | |
| The court heard he told doctors he needed help with his personal care including getting in and out of the bath and that he could not carry out housework or drive his car. | The court heard he told doctors he needed help with his personal care including getting in and out of the bath and that he could not carry out housework or drive his car. |
| He also told psychiatrists he was "emotionally scarred" by the accident and was diagnosed with moderate post-traumatic stress disorder. | He also told psychiatrists he was "emotionally scarred" by the accident and was diagnosed with moderate post-traumatic stress disorder. |
| He said he felt like he was "not a proper father" as he could not pick his young daughter up. | He said he felt like he was "not a proper father" as he could not pick his young daughter up. |
| Judge Nicholas Cooke said it was "greed" that brought him to do it. | Judge Nicholas Cooke said it was "greed" that brought him to do it. |
| He said: "Genuinely injured people putting forward wholly honest claims are viewed sceptically because of the publicity in relation to this sort of matter. | He said: "Genuinely injured people putting forward wholly honest claims are viewed sceptically because of the publicity in relation to this sort of matter. |
| "Anyone who is tempted to behave in a dishonest way to the extent that you did by attempting to exploit a system which exists to compensate the genuinely injured will end up going to prison." | "Anyone who is tempted to behave in a dishonest way to the extent that you did by attempting to exploit a system which exists to compensate the genuinely injured will end up going to prison." |
| Ribchester was secretly filmed by insurance investigators on a number of occasions between February 2008 and October 2009. | Ribchester was secretly filmed by insurance investigators on a number of occasions between February 2008 and October 2009. |
| He was filmed at his local rugby club where he was seen to "grab the ball with both hands and go into a hard tackle" despite claiming he was unable to tie his shoelaces. | He was filmed at his local rugby club where he was seen to "grab the ball with both hands and go into a hard tackle" despite claiming he was unable to tie his shoelaces. |
| He was also caught driving his car, carrying his daughter, constructing garden furniture and unloading heavy shopping bags. | He was also caught driving his car, carrying his daughter, constructing garden furniture and unloading heavy shopping bags. |