The man with multiple identities caught out after 'foolish' £75k crime spree

A man who changed his name by deed poll multiple times to carry out insurance fraud has been handed a jail sentence. But Sam William Carr, whose aliases included Cruise Pierce, walked free from court after his sentence was suspended.

As well as using different identities, Carr also used the names of innocent family and friends to make claims worth an estimated £75,000. The 34 year-old, of St Peters Terrace, Farnworth, took out 13 travel insurance policies with five insurance companies and made fraudulent claims for lost luggage and money against them.

He supplied fake banking documents, utility bills and flight boarding passes to evidence the claims. In other instances, he genuinely booked the flights but did not travel. During his police interview, Carr answered “no comment” to all questions asked.

Carr pleaded guilty in January 2024 to 10 counts of fraud by false representation. He was sentenced at the Royal Courts of Justice to 20 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Detective Constable Vincent Baughan, from the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, said: "Travel insurance is intended to be a reassuring safety net should the worst happen, not a means of personal financial gain. Carr had very little regard in terms of who he implicated in his crimes, using the identities of innocent friends and family members to claim on several policies. He even booked flights that he never took, showing the lengths that he went through to try and avoid detection.

“However, evidence gathered from several insurance companies allowed us to piece different parts of the case together and bring Carr to