Surrey cyclist jailed after lorry crash fraud

A man from Camberley in Surrey who was hit by a lorry while riding his bike has been jailed for fraud after claiming more than £3 million in damages.

Get Hampshire’s James Chapple reports that Majid Khan, 36 was aided by wife Humaira, 29, and father-in-law Atlaf Kiani, 61 in telling his insurers that he had brain injuries so severe he couldn’t feed himself, work or recognise his own mother.

But private investigators videoed Khan leading a normal life. On Wednesday, Judge Andrew Collender QC upheld an application by Lloyds of London insurers to jail Khan for nine months for civil contempt after admitting lying about his condition.

Kiani was also jailed for nine months, while Mrs Khan’s seven-month sentence was suspended for two years.

A warehouse worker at Penta Foods in Farnborough, Khan sustained severe brain injuries when he was hit by an articulated lory while riding to work in August 2008.

Returning from Pakistan in early 2010, Khan convinced a doctor he had reduced brain function and mobility following the accident and refused to settle his compensation claim for £75,000.

Judge Collender said: “Aided and abetted by Mr Kiani and your wife, you embarked upon a deliberate fraud, seriously exaggerating the effect of your injuries to obtain a greater sum of damages to that which you would have been legitimately entitled.”

Khan claimed he needed 24-hour care, an extension to his house to accommodate his disability, holidays, travel and language therapy costs and launched a damages claim to cover a total of over £3 million. 

“You made a good recovery and the damages to which you were entitled were relatively modest,” Judge Collender told Khan. “However, both you and Mr Kiani tried to take advantage of the situation for financial gain.”

Kiani and Mrs Khan swore witness statements supporting the claim, asserting Khan could not communicate, have social life or “recognise his mother”.

“They were a pack of lies,” said the judge. “This was a planned, relatively sophisticated fraud carried out over three months. I have no doubt, if not for surveillance, you would have persisted with this deception.

“The law makes it clear, because of the damage done by false claims, those who make them can expect to go to prison if their conduct is discovered. No other punishment will do.”