A serving Met Police officer has been jailed for planning to fraudulently claim £18,415 in a staged crash-for-cash with a Tesco delivery van at Royal Docks.

Hardeep Dehal was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud at Southwark Crown Court today (Wednesday July 24) and sentenced to 30 months' immediate custody.

Tesco delivery driver Raiyaan Anwar also admitted the offence, which occured on March 11, 2016.

According to a pre-planned arrangement, Anwar crashed into a Citroen with five people in it, including Dehal, in Boxley Street at around 9.15am.

Anwar reported the crash to his employer Tesco as a genuine accident caused by him.

Dehal alleged that he had suffered injuries and made claims for compensation.

Tesco's insurance company admitted liability, on the understanding that one of its delivery drivers had been at fault in a genuine collision with members of the public.

The amount of compensation due to each of the men was still left to be determined.

Dehal submitted medical reports claiming conditions such as severe pain, stiffness and discomfort, and anxiety.

But analysis of telephone data, including text messages and cell site evidence, to prove the entire collision had been pre planned.

The defendants, between them, had exchanged 375 telephone contacts over a two-month period shortly before the crash.

CCTV tracked the van from Silvertown Way and Victoria Dock Road around 8.56am on the morning of the crash, the CPS said.

Anwar pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on September 17, 2018.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) special crime division prosecutor Busola Johnson said: "Hardeep Dehal claimed personal injury as a result of the staged crash and stood to gain thousands of pounds from insurance companies.

"Not only had he meticulously planned the fraudulent crash, but he put himself at risk of real physical harm in the pursuit of insurance money.

"Insurance fraud is not a victimless crime.

"Payouts based on fraudulent claims lead to increased premiums for ordinary, hard-working people."