Three people have been jailed and a fourth given a suspended sentence following a staged burglary in Southsea linked to a fraudulent insurance claim worth £350,000, according to a Rayo report.
The case, heard at Portsmouth Crown Court, related to a break-in reported in March 2022 at a property on Victoria Grove. Police later established that the burglary had been arranged by individuals connected to the address in an attempt to secure an insurance payout.
Dean Ryan, 42, of Pitcroft Road, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to burgle, conspiracy to commit fraud, and perverting the course of justice. Gary Cleeve, 45, of no fixed address, received a three-year sentence after being found guilty of conspiracy to burgle.
Emma O’Shea, 46, of St Peters Road, Hayling Island, was sentenced to two years and six months after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud, perverting the course of justice, and attempted witness intimidation. Her mother, Sarah O’Shea, 70, of Dolman Road, Gosport, was given a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work for perverting the course of justice, according to the report.
The court heard that Cleeve carried out the burglary while Ryan, who was in a relationship with Emma O’Shea, was with her at a different location. On returning to the property, O’Shea found a window had been left open and, concerned that this could invalidate the insurance claim, asked Ryan to break it to give the appearance of forced entry.
During the investigation, O’Shea denied Ryan’s involvement. In July 2023, it emerged that she had travelled to Barbados during court proceedings after being served with a witness summons. The court was told this was arranged to avoid giving evidence. Ryan also passed messages through Sarah O’Shea, who encouraged her daughter to stay abroad and delete phone communications. Emma O’Shea was arrested upon returning to the UK.
According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), insurance fraud remains a persistent issue in the UK. In 2022, UK insurers detected over £1.1 billion worth of fraudulent claims and applications. While the volume of detected fraud has declined in recent years, the financial value of individual cases has risen, with property and liability insurance among the areas most commonly targeted. Insurers continue to invest in fraud detection tools and work closely with law enforcement and industry bodies to identify and prosecute offenders.
Investigating officer PC Kevin Parker of Hampshire Police said the case involved deliberate efforts to mislead investigators and claim funds under false pretences. He highlighted the resource burden such cases place on the police and encouraged the public to report suspicious activity related to burglary or fraud.
