Verdict: Guilty!

http://www.blackpooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=62&ArticleID=224267

Sting brings halt to life in fast lane

LIFE in the fast lane came to a dead-end for a Fylde sports car enthusiast when a transatlantic deception involving two TVR cars landed him in court for fraud.

Ian Moon, 37, tried to claim more than £20,000 from his insurance company by swapping number plates on his bright yellow TVR Cerbera with an identical model which had been involved in a crash in the States.
Moon, of Bispham Road, Carleton, denied attempting to obtain property by deception. But magistrates in Fleetwood found him guilty following a one-day trial yesterday.
The court heard that the defendant took the vehicle identification number off his own TVR Cerbera and screwed it on to the maroon Cerbera.
But his sneaky swap was noticed by a claims engineer, who said the accident damage was too severe for the bump he had reportedly been involved in.
The journey of deception began on the other side of the Atlantic when fellow enthusiast Faisal Khan met Moon – a businessman who owns a flower shop in Fleetwood and a flower and plant wholesalers in Poulton – at a TVR rally.
The two men stayed in touch and when Mr Khan crashed his car in his home state of California, it was arranged to have it shipped over to the Fylde coast for Mr Moon to repair.
Magistrates heard that Moon, who has won numerous trophies for racing the Blackpool-made sports cars, was arrested by police after he withdrew his claim following a visit by two insurance investigators.
Defence solicitor, Brendan Webster, said his client had been trying to obtain a list of parts needed to repair the car because he had experienced problems getting the correct spares.
Magistrates found him guilty of deception. The case was adjourned until January 7 for pre-sentence reports.
On hearing the verdict, Mr Khan, speaking from his home in San Francisco, said: "I intend to pursue this matter further. I feel very angry because I put my trust in this man, who led me a merry dance by fobbing me off when I was in no position to check what was going on because I was in America.
"I have only received £3,000 back and I have sent £10,000 to him, not to mention the money it has cost me to ship the vehicle to and from England."

Sentence: £10,000 fine

http://www.blackpooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=62&ArticleID=229196

£10,000 bill for car con

A FYLDE sports car enthusiast has been handed the maximum non-custodial punishment for trying to dupe an insurance company out of thousands of pounds by swapping two TVR cars.

Ian Moon, 37, of Bispham Road, Carleton, tried to claim more than £20,000 from Norwich Union by swapping number plates on his own bright yellow TVR Cerbera with an identical model which had been involved in a crash in the States. Moon appeared for sentencing before Fleetwood magistrates after he was found guilty last month of attempting to obtain property by deception. Father-of-one Moon took the identification number off his own TVR Cerbera and put it on a maroon Cerbera. But his swap was noticed by an engineer, who was suspicious when he saw the extent of the damage.The journey of deception began on the other side of the Atlantic when fellow enthusiast Faisal Khan met Moon – a bankrupt businessman whose wife runs a flower shop in Fleetwood and a plant wholesalers in Poulton – at a TVR rally. The two men stayed in touch and, when Mr Khan crashed his car in his home state of California, he had it shipped over to the Fylde coast for Mr Moon to repair.Moon, who has won trophies for racing the Blackpool-made cars, was arrested after he withdrew his claim following a visit by insurance investigators. Magistrates, who found him guilty of attempted deception, said they had seriously considered a jail sentence for Moon. He was given a 240-hour community punishment, the maximum non-custodial sentence the court can award, and was also ordered to pay £10,000 compensation and £350 in court costs.

08 January 2003