A man who allegedly posed as a passenger in the Paddington rail disaster to try to claim compensation was being questioned yesterday for alleged deception and wasting police time.
Mr Stuart Ashley (24) reportedly rang a victims' helpline using a false address following the October 5th crash in which 30 people died.
Both Thames Trains and First Great Western wrote to the former BBC security guard offering him counselling and money for transport and accommodation.
Mr Ashley told the Mirror newspaper: "I was watching the Paddington crash on television when the hotline number for victims came up on the screen. "I don't know why, but I suddenly picked up the phone, rang the number, told them I was on one of the trains and gave them an address for me of a house I once stayed in on holiday in Inverness."