A FRAUDSTER from Hampshire who sold bogus car insurance to more than 100 drivers in a nationwide scam is behind bars.

Jaymz William Charlton Clarke-Tomlinson has been jailed for four years for conning 151 drivers, many from Hampshire, into paying out a total of around £60,000 for car insurance that never existed.

The unsuspecting drivers, many of which he befriended, believed they were paying for legitimate road cover, but instead he was pocketing the cash and leaving them out on the roads without any insurance.

One of his victims was car enthusiast Vicky Small, who has revealed she was hospitalised with chest pains after the stress of being duped by the cruel fraudster, as well as losing many friends after she recommended him to them.

The 40-year-old, who knew him as John Langford, suffers from a serious heart condition, and only found out about the fraud when her loved ones told her their cars were not coming up as insured on the Motor Insurance Database after paying Clarke-Tomlinson.

Southampton Crown Court heard how an investigation by the City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) revealed Clarke-Tomlinson went to great lengths to convince his victims he was a legitimate insurance broker, working for a company call Personal Touch Insurance.

But in reality, he was a “ghost broker” who set up the company as a front to flog motorists worthless policies that left them on the road without insurance to get cash to sustain his lifestyle. The court heard how Clarke-Tomlinson, who worked in Winchester, befriended many of his victims before targeting them with cheap deals, money back guarantees and discounts. He then persuaded them to pay up front straight into a bank account and provided them with a policy certificate.

He also encouraged them to recommend his company to family and friends, through his professional-looking company website and leaflets he had made up, offering some a £50 shopping voucher when they made a referral.

Daily Echo:

Officers revealed that his crime spree came to the attention of Action Fraud in November 2013 when a handful of drivers reported that they had bought motor insurance from Personal Touch Insurance but then realised it was invalid when their car did not appear as insured on the MID.

Action Fraud sent the reports to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau where its Cyber Prevention and Disruption Team worked with IFED to shut down the Personal Touch Insurance website.

Detectives examination of policy certificates provided to victims revealed them to be forged CIS General insurance documents in the name of a member of Clarke-Tomlinson’s family.

They also discovered Clarke-Tomlinson had used a number of aliases to carry out his fraud including Brendan Dolman and John Langford.

Clarke-Tomlinson, from Andover, was arrested by detectives in November 2014 at his workplace.

That same month he appeared at Southampton Crown Court charged with fraud offences and was remanded into custody.

He later pleaded guilty to 18 counts of fraud by false representation and one of forgery, dating between November 2012 and December 2013.

Vicky said: “I could not sleep and was hospitalised due to the stress this put on my heart. I was driving around uninsured, it does not bear thinking about what would have happened if I have had an accident and injured somebody.

“I found out I was uninsured just before Christmas 2013, I had saved up £400 for food and presents but ended up having to use that money to buy a legitimate car insurance.

“I have lost friends over this, people have distanced themselves from me. I do not trust my own judgement anymore, it has knocked my confidence.”

City of London Police Detective Constable Gary Kearley, who led the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department’s investigation, added: “Clarke-Tomlinson went to extraordinary lengths to sell his bogus car insurance, even befriending many of his victims to target them and their loved ones.

“He left them unknowingly out on the roads without valid cover, exposing them to great risks including having to pick up the bill for any damage or injuries they caused in a crash, getting their vehicle seized by police, fines, penalties and a criminal record.

“That he now faces a lengthy stretch behind bars is testament to the work carried out to combat insurance fraud by the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, alongside other City of London Police units and the insurance industry, following reports from the public to Action Fraud.”