Five members of the same family ran a “cash for crash” insurance scam worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, a court has heard.
The Yandell family, who run their own car repair business in Blackwood, claimed they were involved in 15 different road accidents in under two years.
At a hearing on Tuesday October 28, Cardiff Crown Court was told they would have been the “unluckiest family in South Wales” – if the crashes were genuine.
Byron Yandell, 30, is accused of inventing four collisions and his pregnant wife Rachel, 29, claims she was with him in one crash and involved in two other accidents herself.
Byron’s father Peter, 51, and brother, Gavin, 28, claimed for three accidents in 18 months while Peter’s wife Michelle, 50, said she had been with him in two crashes.
Prosecutor Christopher Clee QC told Cardiff Crown Court: “Between them they claimed they were involved in 15 alleged collisions in less than two years.
“If they were genuine they may have qualified as the unluckiest family in South Wales.”
The Yandell family and their friend Jennifer Cosh, 47, are accused of a total of 28 charges of fraud by claiming for non-existent car damage, write-offs and personal injuries.
The court heard that many of the alleged collisions happened on the same stretches of road near their Easifix car repair centre in Blackwood.
Mr Clee told the court: “A clear pattern emerged where the same people, family members and friends, were involved in collisions.
“When their car repair premises were searched by police they found a well-established and well co-ordinated thoroughly dishonest scheme.
“CCTV cameras at the premises showed vehicles had been deliberately damaged.
“This was a case of insurance fraud on a significant scale.
“It was a ‘cash for crash’ scheme at the heart of which were members of the Yandell family.”
Byron, Rachel and Peter Yandell, were said to be the “driving force” behind the scam.
The court heard insurance company Aviva paid out £38,000 after a fake collision between a LandRover and Mitsubishi.
Direct Line paid out £30,000 and Equity Insurance £21,500 for other staged collisions.
Peter Yandell pocketed nearly £5,000 from two separate personal injury claims, the court heard.
The trail, which is due to last six weeks, continues.