Luton mastermind of cash for crash gang among 19 jailed

An organised gang of 19 men and women, including five men from Luton, who carried out '˜Crash for Cash' insurance fraud, have all been convicted at court.

The remaining four members of the gang were sentenced on Thursday, 15 December, following a five-week trial at Harrow Crown Court.

The other gang members were sentenced on 20 May and 30 June respectively to conspiracy to defraud and fraud by false presentation.

The gang came to the attention of the Metropolitan Police Service on 27 December 2012, following a collision. The investigation found that the driver, Mohammed Zubair Jamil (pictured, from Luton)had suddenly braked his vehicle before driving away from the scene. His accomplice, who was driving behind him, used this as an excuse to brake and stop his vehicle, which resulted in three innocent drivers to be involved in a collision.

The investigation by the Met, supported by the insurance industry and the Insurance Fraud Bureau, found that Jamil, the company director for SAS Accident Management, and SAS Car Hire, based in Watford, was actually responsible for the organisation and execution of other induced collisions. Many of these were carried out by his associates who were either drivers or passengers in decoy cars.

Jamil’s records were seized, resulting in a number of collisions and insurance claims to the value of £1.1million being investigated.

Detective Inspector David Hindmarsh, of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “This was an audacious, criminal act, carried out by unscrupulous people whose sole aim was to line their pockets at the expense of their victims. They did not care whatsoever that their reckless acts endangered the lives of innocent people.”

Following three lengthy and complex trials the following defendants were found guilty and sentenced as follows:

Trial Three: Sentencing at Harrow Crown Court:

>Ali Malik, 22, of no fixed address - four-and-a-half years. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

>Nazema Nawaz, 28, of Broad Mead, Luton, - 20 months.

>Mazhar Iqbal, 44, of Hollings Road, Bradford, - 16 months

> Mohammed Nisar, 49, of Trent Road, Luton - 16 months.

>Gulraiz Fazal, 36, of Highfield Road, Luton - 16 months

Trial Two: Sentencing on Thursday, 30 June at Harrow Crown Court:

> Rafal Parczewski, 41, of Owen Way, NW10 - 22 moinths

> Mikolaj Parczewski, 25, of Owen Way, NW10 - 16 months.

>Daniel Z Zakrzewski, 31, of Owen Way, NW10 - 22 months

>Maria Aftewicz, 27, of Fortune Gate, Clive Court, NW10 - 16 months, suspended for two years, and 150 hours community service.

>Mirosla Lewandowski, 60, (04.06.56) of Harrold Road, Rowley Regis, - 16 months.

>Jadwiga Pawloska, 63, of Harrold Road, Rowley Regis, - 16 months.

>Anna Olenczuk, 47, of Quainton Street, NW10 - 16 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 150 hours community service.

>Barbara Aftewicz, 48, of Villiers Road, NW2 - 16 months.

Trial One: Sentencing on Friday, 20 May at Harrow Crown Court:

>Mohammed Zubair Jamil, 35, of Gimaldi Avenue, Luton,- five years.

> Raheel Akhtar, 37, of Park Street, St Albans, - 16 months

>Mohammad Ashan, 32, of Highbury Road, Luton, - 16 months .

>Shuel Miah, 25, of Alder Close, Park Street, St Albans - eight months, suspended for two years with 200 hours UPW and £2,320 compensation for one indictment.

>Suat Mazi, 40, of High Street, Enfield, - 16 months.

>Emrah Yildiz, 28, of Fellowes Court, Weymouth Terrace, E2 - 16 months.

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