A COUPLE involved in an insurance con after a road smash are awaiting sentence at Burnley Crown Court.

John Morris, 56, of Altham Street, Padiham, and Jane Lord, 37, of Talbot Drive, Harle Syke, Burnley, had earlier admitted conspiracy to defraud. They were bailed until November 2.

Elizabeth Nicholls, prosecuting, said last October, a car driven by Morris, with Lord as the passenger, was involved in an accident with another car.

The driver of the other car could see the driver of the defendants' car was a male and that Lord was the passenger.

Both cars stopped and the defendants asked if the woman involved was injured.

After she said that she was alright, Morris asked her if she would do him a favour and say Lord had been driving and not him.

Miss Nicholls said Morris indicated it would be easier for insurance purposes and the woman told police that Lord was the driver. Lord later notified her insurance company an accident had happened and she was told the insurance would cover the other vehicle and not hers. She completed a claims form and accepted accepted responsibility for the accident.

The prosecutor said Lord's insurance company had not paid out any money, but the other woman's insurers had paid her £1700 for damage to the car. Lord's insurers had refused to pay out any cash.

Last November, Lord got in touch with the driver of the other car because she had been contacted by police and was not prepared to make a statement in which she would have to put false information.

Miss Nicholls said there was a telephone conversation between Morris, Lord and the woman driver who was becoming more and more concerned about what she had done by giving false information to the police.

She went to her solicitors and then the police station and was later cautioned. The defendants were arrested.