Leeds pensioner died in '˜cash for crash' fraud conspiracy

Betty Laird, 88, suffered fatal spinal injuries when the Renault Kangoo she was a passenger in was struck on Old Lane, Beeston, Leeds, on September 10, 2014.

The prosecution at Leeds Crown Court allege four men in a VW Passat who drove into the side of the Kangoo did so in order to make fraudulent injury compensation claims from insurance companies.

The alleged driver of the Passat, Sabbir Hussain, 25, and two alleged passengers, Raja Hussain, 30, and Shahrear Islam-Miah, 26, are on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of manslaughter and conspiracy to commit fraud.

The jury has been told a fourth man, Muhammed Ubaidullah, has already pleaded guilty to manslaughter, conspiracy to commit fraud and attempting to pervert the court of justice.

Peter Moulson, QC, prosecuting, said: “All were involved, we say, in what has come to be known as a cash for crash collision.”

He added: “Their collective plan was to deliberately collide with another vehicle and then follow that vehicle with claims for financial compensation for injuries allegedly sustained in that collision.”

The jury was told Mrs Laird was in the vehicle with her friend Geoff Grimshaw, 77, at the time of the incident.

Mr Moulson said Mrs Laird suffered multiple injuries in the collision and died later that evening.

The court heard Mr Grimshaw died later of causes unrelated to the collision.

The prosecutor said Ubaidullah was interviewed by police on the day of the incident and claimed that he had been the driver, blaming Mr Grimshaw for the collision.

Mr Moulson said Ubaidullah later changed his account and said Sabbir Hussain was the driver and the collision had been caused deliberately.

He added: “Ubaidullah said that the plan of the team was to drive around waiting for an opportunity to cause a collision.”

Jurors were told Ubaidullah would give evidence at the trial.

Raja Hussain, of Trentham Grove, Beeston, Leeds; Sabbir Hussain, of no fixed address, and Shahrear Islam Miah, of George Street, Oldham, plead not guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit fraud.

The court heard the driver and passenger airbags of the Passat deployed during the crash and DNA from Sabbir Hussain’s saliva was found on the driver’s side.

Ubaidullah said he did not know the identity of the man in the front passenger seat but blood spots on that air bag matched the DNA of Raja Hussain.

Mr Moulson said text messages between Ubaidullah and Islam-Miah showed they were in regular contact. He said: “The defendants we contend were involved in a collective pre-determined plan to cause a collision. The deliberate ramming of another vehicle on the highway for whatever purpose is obviously unlawful, it is clear in doing that those involved would subject another person to risk of some physical harm.”

Defence counsel for Sabbir Hussain told the jury it was his case he was in the car but in a passenger seat and was not aware of any plan to crash the car. Lawyers for Raja told the jury he accepted he was in the front passenger seat but was also not aware of any conspiracy.

Richard Wright, QC, defending Islam-Miah said he was not in the car at the time of the accident and was not part of any plan to cause a collision.

The trial continues.