A contempt of court issue arose in One Insurance Ltd v Beasley (High Court UK), arising from the involvement of B in a road traffic accident. The Court noted:
3. The claim grew and included claims of injuries to shoulder, neck, back with widespread pain to the right side of the body and in addition Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The presentation by Mr Beasley to the medical legal experts in the case was of someone seriously debilitated.
4. By 2019 Mr Beasley was attending such medical appointments in a wheelchair and complaining of pain to such an extent that meaningful medical examinations were almost impossible. There was a claim for the sum of £100,000 for the loss of earnings and that was before a care claim and damages for pain suffered from loss of amenity.
The Court held that the claim was largely, if not entirely, a sham and Mr Beasley was in truth perfectly capable of going out and about, of driving, of lifting substantial weights into and out of his car. The presentation that was made at the medico-legal appointments in a wheelchair was also a sham. A wheelchair was hired on two occasions in order to be used for attendance at the medical appointments and then returned thereafter. The reason that one can say that this is such a blatant false claim is because of the surveillance evidence. That evidence is devastating, the Court said..
The feigning of injury was so blatant that proceedings for contempt of court were commenced. Ever since his deceit was discovered B admitted what he had done.
The Court imposed a sentence of imprisonment for a period of 6 months, with half of that to be served before eligibiilty for release on parole. The claimant was aged 76 years at the time of his imprisonment and had no record of prior dishonesty.