The leader of a car insurance fraud gang who organised staged a crash to receive £82,000 in compensation has been jailed, it has been revealed.

Musharaf Dean was sentenced to 18 months earlier this week after being found guilty of conspiracy to defraud an insurance firm.

Dean, 32 and the rest of his gang had been caught after they had staged a fake Crash for Cash scheme in Bolton, the country’s “hotspot” area for insurance fraud, in order to receive a payout from their car insurer, Zurich.

The court heard that the defendant and his group, had claimed that they had been involved in an accident with David Sleigh, 46 and Caroline Catley, 34, who were also in on the scheme.

But according to a vehicle examiner, the damage on both cars did not add up with their story.

Both Sleigh and Catley had also admitted they had not been in an accident.

Sentencing, Judge Steven Everett said: “I am quite sure you are a dishonest individual. You are the ringleader. This was a serious matter and the public must know if you commit this sort of offence that prison must follow.”

Dean, his wife, Rehana, 31, and business associate Luqman Patel, 28 had all been found guilty of conspiracy of defraud.

The three were fined £2,800 each and were ordered to carry out 300 hours of community work while Sleigh had been given an eight month sentence.

Detective Constable Mike Gladwin said: “It is unbelievable the lengths some people will go to for money.”