Man faces up to 10 years’ jail after cage fighting DVDs expose false injury claim

A Dublin man who took a personal injury action claiming he suffered a debilitating back injury in a car crash now faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to €100,000 after DVDs emerged of him taking part in cage fighting.

Raymond Smith (29) is the first person to be prosecuted under the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004 for providing false information during a personal injury claim.

Smith, of Cairn Court, Poppintree, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to giving false information in an affidavit on September 27th, 2010. He will be sentenced later this year.

The court heard Smith was involved in a crash in August 2009, in which a car ran into the back of his car.

He later returned to hospital several times complaining of back pain and reduced movement of his spine. He initiated a personal injury claim against the owner of the car that struck his car and was awarded €7,500 by the Circuit Civil Court.

The defendants then appealed the decision in the High Court. During the appeal they presented evidence of Smith engaging in "cage fighting" at various times from the date of the crash up until the court date.