Students faked strangers' deaths in insurance scam

THREE students faked the deaths of two strangers in a £125,000 insurance fraud.

James Gargett, 21, a part-time broker with Scottish Life Assurance in Glasgow, joined forces with flatmates John Gilbert, 23, and Chris Smith, 21, to download bogus death certificates from the internet and pen lawyers' letters to make the claims look real.

Gargett used his position at the insurance company to rubber-stamp the claims.

They were caught when the husband of one of the "dead" clients contacted the firm to ask why her policy had been stopped - and confirmed that his wife was still alive.

Gargett, who had gone missing from work, was later quizzed by police and admitted what they had done.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, all three pleaded guilty to the fraud in 2004. Sentence was deferred until next month for reports.

Gilbert, of Finnieston, Glasgow, said the idea had been discussed initially as "a joke".

The court heard that none of the stolen money had been recovered.