North Longford man caught with fake no claims bonus escapes conviction

Nerijius Cepas (47) of Tigh Fada, Rossduff, Aughacliffe, Longford faced a charge that on May 1, 2016 at Rossduff, Aughnacliffe he used a false instrument, a fraudulent no claims bonus certificate, with the intention of inducing another person to accept it as genuine.

Sgt Enda Daly told the Judge Bernadette Owens, presiding, that on March 20, 2022 AIG were undertaking an investigation into potential frauds on insurance policies.

Detective Garda Donal McDermott investigated the matter. Mr Cepas took out a policy in April of 2016. A FBD no claims certificate was uploaded as part of that application. A subsequent investigation by AIG indicated that the no claims certificate was a false instrument. The court heard the defendant had no previous convictions.

Solicitor Bríd Mimnagh informed the judge that her client had not made the application himself, but had engaged a Lithuanian insurance broker to make the deal.

Ms Mimnagh said Mr Cepas has been on insurance policies in Ireland for the last 22 years. She said he was surprised a fraudulent no claims bonus was uploaded in the application.

The solicitor said her client always had insurance and had a no claims bonus at the time. Since the 2016 application Mr Cepas held three different car insurance policies.

“He had no reason to upload the false no claims bonus, he had his own. He did not intend to commit this fraud,” Ms Mimnagh told the judge.

The solicitor said the defendant drives for a living, and since the case was first before the court he has not driven.

In noting the defendant's plea, the facts of the case and the mitigation put forward by Mr Cepas's legal representative Judge Owens said she had “an obligation to look at the proportionality” of a conviction.

“Of relevance in this case is that a conviction would have a disproportionate effect on the defendant's life. That said he should have been more diligent when he engaged the broker to secure his insurance,” Judge Owens said.

Mr Cepas took the opportunity given to him by the judge to pay €400 to court poor box. The matter was then struck out.