Gaetano Farrugia, 37, from Zebbug has been given a six-month jail term suspended for three years for trying to commit insurance fraud.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia heard how on November 11, 2009, a certain Kevin Tanti, who was driving a Toyota Hilux pickup truck, was involved in a hit and run when he was driving along Triq il-Kappella San Gwann.

Mr Tanti hit a parked Land Rover that moved forward and hit a Toyota Vitz parked in front of it. The Vitz also jolted forward, hitting a Morris Marina.

Mr Tanti then asked the accused to help him claim the damage sustained by his car by filing a fraudulent insurance claim and get paid for his involvement.

On November 12 Mr Farrugia filed an request with Citadel Insurance. In the front to rear formula he claimed he was driving out of his garage in Zebbug when he hit Mr Tanti's car.

The accused paid the access fee but he never signed the claim and therefore it could not be processed which meant the fraud did not actually take place.