A fraudster smashed up his own car and falsely claimed vandals etched a racist slur on the bonnet, a court heard.
Shamim Ali staged the attack to rip off his insurance company, months after his BMW 318i broke down.
He went to an all-night house party in Ipswich, Suffolk, on December 14, 2018, from around 10.30pm until 6.00am the following morning, parking his car on a road near the venue.
He claimed that when he came back, the bonnet had been dented and the driver’s window and windscreen smashed.
He also told investigators the slur had been scratched into the car, but photos taken by insurer Zurich showed no such damage.
An engineer’s report revealed that the BMW had suffered catastrophic engine failure while being driven, which Ali, 53, must have known about.
And it emerged that the vehicle’s only key had last been used two months before the supposed attack.
Ali, from Norwich, maintained his claims when quizzed by police but admitted fraud when he appeared at Suffolk magistrates’ court.
He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and must pay £1,200 in compensation to the insurer.
Speaking after the case, Det Insp Matthew Hussey, of City of London Police’s insurance fraud enforcement department, said: ‘Rather than paying to repair his vehicle, Ali attempted to exploit his insurance policy.
‘Whilst it may seem like a victimless crime, fraud like this costs honest policyholders in the form of raised premiums to cover investigation costs and losses.’
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