FIVE men who claimed they suffered whiplash injuries in a car crash ended up in court after their personal injury claims were found to be bogus by an insurance investigator.

The claims were made after driver Farid Asmal ran into the back of another car on a day trip to Blackpool.

But when the other driver was contacted by the insurance company he said there were only two men in the other vehicle and police were called.

Yesterday all five appeared at Bolton Crown Court to be sentenced for attempting to obtain property by deception.

Asmal, aged 25, of Beech Street, Saajid Asmal, aged 27, of Crompton Gardens, Maqbool Ali, aged 27, of Eastbank Street, Imran Issa, aged 26, of Baythorpe Street, and Mubarak Patel, aged 34, of Beech Street, all Bolton, were ordered to complete a 120 hour Community Rehabilitation Order and each pay £100 costs.

Judge Reginald Lockett warned that had they gained financially from their deception he would have jailed them.

Prosecutor John O'Shea said that the car accident happened in July 1997 when Farid Asmal's car was in collision with another in Highfield Road in Blackpool.

Asmal told the other driver that the accident was his fault and along with the driver of the other vehicle Asmal and his passenger went to a local garage.

But when five men made personal injury claims through their doctors and solicitors the insurance company decided to investigate the claim.

Of the five only Imran Issa admitted he was not actually in the car when the accident happened.

The court was told that all the men had discontinued their actions for personal injury claims before the police became involved.