Fury as convicted killers from Cregan trial to make whiplash claims after their van was involved in accident on way to court

A gang of criminals are to claim compensation for whiplash after their prison vans crashed into each other on the way to a murder trial.

The trio are in line to pocket up to £2,500 each in taxpayers’ cash even though none of them were admitted to hospital with any injuries.

As well as ‘whiplash’, they are said to be claiming for ‘hurt feelings’ because they wrongly thought the van was under attack from gangland rivals.

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The crash happened as prisoners were being taken to court for the trial of Dale Cregan. Some are now claiming compensation

The claims – made by three defendants in the Dale Cregan trial – were dubbed ‘ridiculous’ and ‘an insult’ by MPs last night.

It is also understood that up to 12 prison officers are planning to make compensations claims in connection with the incident, even though only four were admitted to hospital.

Mrs Patel added it was ‘wrong’ for the prison staff to follow suit and make their own claims for the incident.

Damian Gorman, 38, Francis Dixon, 37, and Ryan Hadfield, 29, were on their way to be tried for murder when two prison vans carrying nine defendants collided.

Claim: Damien Gorman, left, who stood trial with Dale Cregan, right, is one of the three men making the ckaun

The two vans, one of which contained Dale Cregan, the killer of Police Constables Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone, were travelling along the M6 to Preston Crown Court when they shunted one another on May 24.

The accident caused damage to  both prison vans and minor damage to a police car but Cregan was not injured.

Sources say Gorman, Dixon and Hadfield are going to claim for whiplash injuries while other prisoners in the vans are going to launch action for damages saying they thought the vans were under attack.

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