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Personal injury news
Sniper victims arrested in compensation scam investigation
Two teenagers shot in the leg with air-gun pellets have been arrested in connection with an alleged personal injury compensation scam.
Colin Smith, 19, and Hayley Fitzearle, 18, made newspaper headlines last week when they claimed that they were the victims of a serial sniper in Gosport, Hampshire. Subsequent medical examinations showed that the pair had air-gun pellets embedded deep in their legs and surgery to remove them could be too risky.
But police have since arrested the pair on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, and have also announced they have called off the search for the sniper. They have also arrested another man on a charge of perverting the course of justice and grievous bodily harm.
Detectives are now working on a theory that the two, who both live in bedsits, agreed to be shot in order to claim personal injury compensation of at least 1,000 from the Government's Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).
The CICA handles about 80,000 cases a year and provides personal injury compensation to the victims of violent crime. A prosecution or arrest is not necessary, but the victim does have to prove that a crime took place and report it to the police.
The three teenagers were taken to Havant police station for questioning, had their mobile phones confiscated and were then released on bail until April.
Hayley's mother, Tracy, told reporters that her daughter wouldn't have lied, saying, "I don't know what's happening. I don't believe she would make something like that up because she's not that sort of person. I believe her 100 percent."
Police investigations are continuing.
