A TRIO behind a scam to steal a £35,000 motorhome, which was eventually discovered disguised as a racing-team vehicle, have been given suspended prison sentences.

Paul Moody, 44, of Nelson, then falsely tried to claim he had motorbikes stashed in the Ford Transit vehicle when it was ‘stolen’, while on hire from a West Sussex firm, Burnley Crown Court was told.

But police in East Lancashire were able to track down two of the bikes, both KTM off-roaders, to their legitimate owners, the court heard.

And a farmer, where Moody stored the third bike, his own Kawasaki, was able to hand it over to investigators.

Prosecutor Stephen Parker said the motorhome was originally hired by Anne Firth, one of Moody’s associates, from Alco Leisure, a Chichester-based company.

One of the partners, Lorraine Dunabin, was suspicious that Firth had travelled from the North to lease the vehicle.

And these fears were confirmed when she received a call from Moody a short time later, telling her the motorhome had been stolen.

An insurance claim was also lodged for three bikes, which were said to have been stored inside the motorhome. But police in Pendle were able to ascertain they had not been stolen.

Mr Parker said that police later received an anonymous tip-off that the motorhome could be found in the Castleford area.

When officers located it, they discovered that the registration number had been changed.

He told the court the hire company had lost £20,000, their insurance company had only paid out £25,000 and they had lost another £10,000 in potential hire charges.

Moody, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, and Firth, 43, of Barrowby Lane, Garforth, both admitted conspiracy to commit fraud and steal. Both were jailed for nine months, suspended for two years.

David Grayshon, 36, of Castleford, also admitted conspiracy to steal and was given 10 months suspended for two years for his part in the offence.