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10/12/2015
Marcus Grant appeared for Churchill Insurance Company in securing a committal order for contempt of Court
Marcus Grant (instructed By Hamida Khatun of Keoghs LLP) appeared for Churchill Insurance in a committal action in the Queen’s Bench Division for contempt of court in respect of signing a statement of truth on one or more documents in County Court proceedings that he knew to be untrue in a way likely to interfere with the course of justice. Ms. Dunn and her two passengers each claimed that they sustained injuries in a road accident on the Wirral in April 2011. Churchill Insurance received a tip off that the alleged accident was a staged ‘crash for cash scam’ and that its insured, Mr Reilly knew the occupants in the other vehicle. Churchill Insurance’s case depended on the evidence of Mr Reilly’s ex-wife who provided evidence of links between the passengers and of the conspiracy to stage the crash. Her evidence was challenged as the fabrication of a scorned woman. A 5 day trial took place before His Honour Judge Wood QC sitting as a Judge of the Liverpool District Registry of the High Court. On 10 December 2015 he delivered a judgment that was excoriating in its criticism of the system of referral agents in the whiplash compensation industry and which found that Mrs Reilly’s evidence against the Defendants was honest and reliable evidence and that the alleged accident was a staged crash. Accordingly the contempt against the Defendants was proved to the criminal standard. Sentencing will take place at the Liverpool Crown Court on 22 December 2015.
The Judgment will shortly be reported on Lawtel:- Churchill Insurance Company v. Dunn, Reading, Stanley & Reilly