Robert Cretu, a 40-year-old taxi driver from Lapwing Road in Kirkby, has been sentenced for a pet insurance fraud that netted him £31,700. He admitted five counts of fraud by false representation at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, August 18.
Fraudulent claims for non-existent dogs
Cretu took out dozens of insurance policies for pets that never existed, then submitted 30 fraudulent claims to five separate insurers, according to the Liverpool Echo. His fabricated stories included a dog leaping from Blackpool Pier into the sea while chasing a seagull, and another struck by a lorry in the Lake District.
The scam ran between December 2023 and August 2025, with Cretu submitting forged documents and veterinary notes to support his claims. He took out most of the policies under false names, with payments funnelled into bank accounts registered to other individuals.
Details of the claims
Eight claims were made to Pinnacle Pets UK, including one in March 2024 where he pocketed £1,100 after claiming a dog named Lola had been killed by a lorry in the Lake District. He also made claims regarding another pet called Leo, alleging it had plunged into the sea from Blackpool Pier while pursuing a seagull.
Several claims failed to result in payment after doubts emerged about fraudulent behaviour, while others were left incomplete or ruled invalid. One claim concerning an allegedly dead Doberman was rejected owing to "excessive costs" and insufficient proof that a purported cremation had genuinely occurred.
Court proceedings and sentence
Prosecuting counsel Sarah Egan outlined the case, while Sarah Griffin, defending, said Cretu is the sole breadwinner for his family and that he had stopped working as a factory supervisor, had very low income from delivery jobs, and that his taxi broke down multiple times. She said he had remained out of trouble since September 2025 and intended to pay the relevant insurers back from his income.
Sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall noted that Cretu had made multiple applications to insurers, obtaining fraudulent policies from the outset. He said the offending started almost 12 months before Cretu began working as a taxi driver in October 2024, and that his account of how the money was spent was inconsistent. The judge said the total actual loss was £31,700, with further claims unsuccessful, meaning the intended loss was greater.
Cretu, who has no prior convictions, admitted his offences during police questioning and said the money had been spent on family finances. He received a 20-month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months, along with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.
