A TESCO delivery driver had to fork out damages to his employer after deliberately crashing his van so pals could claim compensation.
Donovan Rose sparked an investigation by the supermarket giant after reversing his work van into a parked Mercedes.
GettyDonovan Rose sparked an investigation by Tesco after reversing his work van into a parked Mercedes (file photo)[/caption]
He had previously been warned by Tesco bosses after being involved in three crashes with the vehicle, a court heard.
Driver Hanaa Alghafagi, who did not work for the retailer, sued Tesco for injury damages after the 2019 crash.
But a judge found that she and her two female passengers Zhraa Algafagi and Zina Alghafagi had organised the accident and took part in a conspiracy to win compensation.
It was one of a series of targeted accidents involving drivers from Tesco’s depot in Greenford, West London.
Three former Tesco drivers told how they were approached by staff at the site and asked if they wanted to make “easy money” of up to £2,000 quickly.
They were told they would be paid if they would drive around the corner and then crash into a van.
All three declined and told their employers Tesco, a civil case at Central London County Court heard.
Mr Rose claimed he had been set up and had not been involved in any stage-managed accidents, and that a note apparently left at the scene saying it was the Tesco driver’s fault had been manufactured.
The judge said Mr Rose was “swindled” by his co-conspirators who did not pay him the money he had been promised to cause the crash.
The women driver and passengers made false statements and fraudulent misrepresentations about the collision, and pursued a dishonest claim by making it up, the court heard.
Tesco decided to upgrade all the cameras in its delivery vans, partly as a result of this conspiracy.
Investigators for Tesco uncovered 12 further linked cases, as well as another 19 which have not yet been to court.
Judge Heather Baucher said: “This is a fraud and conspiracy of unprecedented scale which has engaged this court in five weeks of continuous Tesco litigation.”
She added that the court was informed of 31 related cases, and lawyers had to pour over 60,000 documents.
The judge ordered Tesco to be paid compensation of £3,330, and for the three women and Mr Rose to pay the firm £18,000 each for exemplary damages.
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