Escaping a lengthy jail time for fraud by false representation charges

Mr. U was driving his own car when he was stopped by two police officers under the Misuse of Drugs Act. After searching his car, they found a small amount of herbal cannabis, and immediately arrested him. Upon his arrest, they searched the car for his license, and for his insurance.  

Though his insurance was up to date, the police charged him with fraud by misrepresentation, arguing that he intended to defraud the insurance company as he had prior charges.  

After Mr. U contacted us to represent him, our fraud lawyers immediately sprang into action. Determined to uncover the truth of the matter, our fraud lawyers worked closely with our client and with his insurance team and determined that this was a misunderstanding gone wrong. Our client explained that he was unaware that he had to report all prior convictions to the insurance company, and only mentioned motor convictions – as he assumed those would be relevant for car insurance. What turned out to be an innocent mistake almost ruined his life.   

Despite our client trying to explain this during the police interview, the police disregarded his statements and went ahead with the trial. Before the trial even began, our defence solicitors submitted overwhelming evidence to our client’s innocence – including witness statements gathered from friends and family members that attested to his good character, pay slips that showed his regular payments to the insurance company, and the fact that the policy cost would have stayed the same if he did reveal his prior convictions – so there was no possibility of any fraud by false representation ever occurring.  

Realising the futility of their actions, the prosecution understood that the case was completely false and dropped all charges, effectively freeing our client.  

Being falsely accused by the police can be extremely anxious, and trying to share your side of the story, alone, in a police interview can be dangerous to your case. If you or someone you know is in a similar situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us now. We’re here to help defend your rights and protect your interests.
Afraid you can’t cover your legal costs? Don’t be – we work with Legal Aid. Call us today for a free no-obligation consultation, we’re available 24/7.