A fraudster footballer took out an insurance policy minutes after crashing his BMW into three parked cars - then lied about when the accident happened.
Pa Omar Mbowe, 25, bought a one-hour insurance policy following the four-car smash in south Manchester.
He ploughed his BMW 116i Sport into the back of one parked car, which bounced into the next car and then into another vehicle.
The footballer, who has played professionally for clubs including Macclesfield Town, took out the policy between 6.20am and 7.20am.
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He claimed the crash happened when he tried to avoid a pothole while travelling through Hulme at 6.35am - just 15 minutes after the policy started.
But the next day, the insurance company was contacted by another firm who claimed Mbowe had been involved in an accident with one of their policyholders after falling asleep at the wheel at 7am.
These discrepancies, paired with the fact Mbowe's policy had been taken out minutes before the accident, prompted the insurer to refer the case to the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED).
An investigation discovered a vehicle crash report had also been made to Greater Manchester Police at 6.17am on April 29, 2018 - proving Mbowe fiddled the timings so it looked like he was insured at the time, according to police.
However, the footballer showed remorse for his actions after admitting the offence during an interview with detectives.
He told them he had already given money to the owners of the damaged vehicles, police said today.
Mbowe was handed a conditional caution under the agreement he would cover the costs of repairing two of the cars and any losses to the insurer of the third,.
But he failed to deliver, City of London Police said.
He was tracked down and arrested after the case escalated to court because he had failed to meet the deadline and did not show up for his hearing.
Abdelkader Rezkallah, police staff investigator at City of London Police, said today: "The fact that Mbowe managed to take out a one-hour policy after the accident shows just how quick and easy it is to be covered before heading out on the road.
"There is no excuse for driving uninsured.
“Despite admitting to the offences when questioned, Mbowe failed to comply with the conditions of his caution.
"He then wasted even more of our time by failing to turn up to his court hearing, resulting in the court having to issue a warrant for his arrest.
“Mbowe has finally faced the consequences of his actions, and will be trading in his team jersey for a high-vis vest over the next year.”
At Manchester Magistrates Court last Friday, February 18, Mbowe of Brentwood Street, Moss Side, was sentenced for one count of fraud by false representation.
He was given a 12-month community order to do 60 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £3,695 in compensation to the owners of the parked cars.
