A Porsche driver who claimed he was injured in a crash had his £74k insurance claim rumbled after dashcam caught him standing by the side of the road when the accident actually happened.

Terell Brooks, 33, had parked his Porsche 911 Carrera GTS worth £81k, on the side of the A13 in Essex when it was clipped by a lorry.

Brooks alleged he was seated in the car at the time of impacted and suffered injuries as a result during the incident in August 2022.

His claim included £63,435 for alleged damage to the Porsche, £5,000 for personal injury, £2,400 for medical treatment, and a further £3,374 for loss of earnings.

The account manager from Romford was rumbled when dashcam footage from the lorry revealed he was stood several metres away behind a roadside barrier.

The Porsche was parked and unoccupied - it is not clear why he had exited the vehicle.

After the footage was disclosed, Brooks' solicitors withdrew from the case.

Solicitors Clyde & Co, representing AXA UK who insured the lorry, asserted that both Mr Brooks and an alleged passenger knowingly gave false accounts to insurers, legal representatives, and medical professionals.

Mr Brooks subsequently discontinued his claim and agreed to pay AXA's legal costs of £4,000.

He signed a Tomlin Order formally admitting his claim was dishonest, confirming he was not in the vehicle at the time of the collision. No damages were paid.

Deborah Talbot, AXA Claims Operations Manager, said: "This case highlights how technology is helping us to fight claims fraud. "

"The dashcam footage provided clear evidence that Mr Brooks wasn't in the car at the time of the collision, avoiding a potentially costly and lengthy court hearing."

Damian Rourke, Partner at Clyde & Co, added: "Mr Brooks claimed he was sitting in his Porsche, belted up and injured. "

"The dashcam showed him in the bushes. "

"We still don't know what he was doing there – but we do know he wasn't in the car. His story fell apart the moment the truth came to light. "

"In every sense, the claim was caught short."