€300k personal injury claims ‘a clear set-up’

Five Dublin drinking pals dramatically withdrew personal injury claims relating to a rear-ending accident that a judge described as “a clear set-up”.

At full value, the group could have pocketed damages of €300.000 against the Motor Insurer’s Bureau of Ireland (MIBI), together with legal costs of €100,000. A sixth €60,000 damages claim was withdrawn before yesterday’s hearing.

Counsel Paul Murray told Darren Mulhall, aged 41, that the MIBI had traced the history of the car used in the set-up crash and found that it belonged to a close relative of one of his friends involved in the scam.