QLD Attempted Fraud - False Police Report?

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hondo

Member
29 October 2014
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My son drove his car home after a big party. He had a car accident and crashed it at about 2am (about $3000 damage) and left the scene. Nobody else was involved. He then made a false report to police the next day and said it was stolen. It was my work vehicle (not the company he works for) which was fully insured.

A claim was put with the insurance company. He works for a mining company and 3 days after the accident he had to go back to work, 6 hours drive from home, for a 2 week, 12 hour day shift. He was full of guilt for his lying and asked his employer for special leave after 6 days so he could come home to address the problem he has put himself into. Because the claim involved a police report, the car insurance company is investigating the claim, which I believe is standard procedure in most cases involving a police report.

He only just got back home tonight and he told me the whole story, guilt ridden for lying to his old man. I told him to go see a solicitor in the morning and after any advice from him, report back to the police.

What are the legal implications of this case?
 
S

Sophea

Guest
I'm not sure what the reaction of police would be to a confession of false information being given a week prior, however I do know that you can get 12 months in prison for providing false or misleading information to police. Obviously the confession would provide basis for a lower sentence than this, if he was charged with it.

As for the insurer, they write policies such that any type of dishonesty can invalidate your coverage. Depending on the policy wording, they will likely deny the claim if you go back and tell them that you lied to them. If its only $3000 damage though and your son is working in the mines, I'm sure he can take the financial cost of it on the chin.