A 37-year-old man was given a six-month jail term suspended for three years for trying to commit insurance fraud by claiming he crashed into the car of a man whose vehicle was already damaged.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia found Gaetano Farrugia, from Żebbuġ, guilty of attempting to defraud Citadel Insurance agency.

The magistrate heard how on November 11, 2009, a certain Kevin Tanti, who was driving a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck, was involved in a hit-and-run when he was driving along Triq il-Kappella, San Ġwann.

Mr Tanti hit a parked Land Rover that was jolted forward, hitting a Toyota Vitz parked in front of it. The Vitz was also moved forward, hitting a Morris Marina. Mr Tanti asked Mr Farrugia to help him claim the damage sustained to his car by filing a fraudulent insurance claim. Mr Tanti was to pay Mr Farrugia for his help.

On November 12, Mr Farrugia filed a request with Citadel Insurance claiming a front-to-rear collision.

Mr Farrugia claimed he was driving out of his garage in Żebbuġ when he crashed into Mr Tanti’s pick-up vehicle. Mr Farrugia paid the access fee but he never signed the claim, and therefore, the magistrate ruled, it could not be processed. This meant the fraud did not actually take place.