A taxi driver has been handed a suspended prison sentence after he filed 30 fraudulent pet insurance claims for dogs that never existed, inventing tales of their deaths.
Robert Cretu, 40, of Lapwing Road in Kirkby, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday, August 18, where he admitted five counts of fraud by false representation. The court heard how between December 2023 and August 2025 he submitted the claims to five different insurers, netting a total of £31,700.
Fictitious dogs and fabricated stories
Cretu took out pet insurance policies for animals that did not exist, then claimed they had died in tragic circumstances. One dog was said to have leapt from Blackpool Pier into the sea while chasing a seagull, while another was allegedly struck by a lorry in the Lake District.
Prosecuting barrister Sarah Egan outlined how the majority of the policies were taken out using false identities, with pay-outs directed into bank accounts in other people's names. Eight claims were made to Pinnacle Pets UK, including one in March 2024 where he received £1,100 after claiming a dog named Lola had been killed by a lorry in the Lake District.
Failed claims and court proceedings
Several claims did not result in payment after concerns about fraudulent behaviour, while others were not finalised or ruled invalid. One claim concerning an allegedly dead Doberman was turned down due to "excessive costs" and insufficient proof of a purported cremation.
Cretu, who has no prior convictions, admitted his offences during police questioning and said the money had been spent on family finances.
Defence and sentencing
Sarah Griffin, defending, told the court: "He is the sole bread winner. He stopped working as a factory supervisor and had very low income from his delivery jobs. He bought a taxi and says that the taxi broke down multiple times. It sounds as though it has been a combination of factors."
She added: "He is still in work. He has remained out of trouble since September of 2025. There is clearly a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He is an otherwise hard working man. He was a factory supervisor for many years and is now a taxi driver."
Sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: "You made multiple applications to those insurers. You essentially obtained fraudulent insurance policies from the outset, either with false details or in your own name. Those insurance companies and the insurance business generally has to invest heavily to try to stop the sort of things that you did. That increases fees for everybody else."
He added: "You are of previous good character. You were born in Romania and were provided settled status in this country in 2019. You say that you were struggling financially. You have expressed remorse. There is some detail provided suggesting that your employment was the cause of your offending due to debt you had incurred. Your dates do not stack up, as far as that is concerned. You started working as a taxi driver in October 2024, and this offending started almost 12 months earlier."
Cretu was handed a 20-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.
