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Newspaper investigation helps convict holiday sickness fraudster
A man who encouraged holidaymakers to make fraudulent sickness claims against companies including Jet2holidays has been jailed for 12 months.
Brian Cromby pleaded guilty after evidence showed he had connections with people who’d made fraudulent sickness claims.
An investigation by The Mail on Sunday showed Cromby had advised two undercover reporters on how to make a fraudulent claim.
He had set up a firm called RTA Solutions, which has since been closed, and was paid a retainer for referrals to claims lawyers.
Cromby, from Liverpool, was sentenced by HHJ David Aubrey after being charged with intentionally encouragingly assisting in the commission of an offence contrary to section 44 of the Serious Crimes Act 2007.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said: "Jet2holidays and the Mail on Sunday have led the way to stamp out the scourge of fake sickness claims, which was criminal fraud driven by unscrupulous Claims Management Companies and individuals like Brian Cromby.
"We are delighted to see justice served today, and although we have already succeeded in changing the law to deter bogus sickness claims, we continue to investigate all claims robustly and the courts will very clearly not hesitate to punish anyone engaging in such fraud."
Jet2 led a campaign against holiday sick fraud, even hiring private investigators to catch touts in resort.
In April 2018, the Ministry of Justice announced the extension of Fixed Recoverable Costs to cover holiday sickness claims brought under the Package Travel Regulations, making defence costs predictable and thus deterring bogus claims.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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