16 people due in court over staged car crashes in Cork

Sixteen people are due in court in Cork on Wednesday following an extensive Garda investigation into the staging of fake car crashes in order to make false insurance claims.

The 16 men and women were all arrested and questioned over the last two years by gardai as part of Operation Nascar - an investigation of staged car crashes around Cork city and county.

Operation Nascar was opened by gardaí in 2011 after concerns were raised about what gardaí described as “organised, structured and staged road traffic accidents”.

The Garda arrests began in early 2013 when five people were arrested in Munster in February, and a follow-up operation saw another seven people arrested in March 2013.

The four females and three males arrested on that occasion were detained at various stations in the Midlands and Cork under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.

Then in April 2013, gardaí from the Organised Crime Unit and the Fraud Investigation Unit attached to Anglesea Street in Cork arrested another five people - three men and two women.

The five were arrested at various locations in Co Cork and were detained at Mallow, Midleton and Cobh Garda Stations for questioning before being released without charge.

Two months later in June, gardaí arrested a further three males at various locations in Co Cork and they were again detained for questioning before being released without charge.

In total, gardaí have arrested 20 people as part of Operation Nascar and an extensive file was subsequently submitted to the DPP for consideration which led to charges being brought against 16 people.