A Brighton footballer scored an own goal by trying to make a dishonest insurance claim for £55,000.
Callum Saunders, 33, from Saltdean, claimed to be unable to work while still playing for Haywards Heath FC.
But he managed to score an impressive goal – so spectacular that it featured on the Sky TV programme Soccer AM.
Law firm Clyde and Co were less impressed than the pundits and shared the footage at Brighton County Court.
As a result, Saunders was landed with a financial penalty – a bill for £5,000 legal costs.
Clyde and Co said: “For a non-league footballer, having one of your goals shown on TV’s Soccer AM is a dream come true.
“But for Haywards Heath FC’s Callum Saunders it was the start of a nightmare because it allowed insurance investigators to prove that his claims of a debilitating foot injury were a lie.
“Saunders, 33, a striker for Haywards Heath FC from 2015 to 2019, was attempting to claim over £55,000 for injury after he was involved in a road traffic accident in March 2017.
“However, his appearance on Sky TV’s Soccer AM when he scored a goal from the halfway line, was one of the pieces of evidence presented to Brighton County Court to prove Saunders was exaggerating the extent of his injuries.
“In the video, he struck the ball with his right foot, the foot he claimed was injured.
The cleanest strike you’ll see all day! He’s absolutely caught the goalkeeper out there 👏 pic.twitter.com/dvqkPeCQiP
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) February 7, 2019
“One month after the accident in Marine Parade, Brighton, Saunders claimed that injuries to his foot meant he was unable to work as a self-employed plasterer or play football.
“However, insurance investigators working for the other party involved in the road traffic accident discovered that, during April, Saunders was filmed playing for Haywards Heath FC during the match in which they won the Southern Combination Football League championship.
“Saunders’ social media accounts contained multiple posts and tweets about his appearances for Haywards Heath FC and on several occasions in late 2017, Hayward Heath FC’s own YouTube channel posted footage of Saunders playing.
“In February 2019, Saunders’ goal against Three Bridges FC was shown on Sky TV’s Soccer AM show.
“Shortly after the ‘wonder’ goal, Saunders signed a document claiming he was at a ‘permanent disadvantage on the open labour market’ claiming £17,300 for that alone.
He may be an excellent footballer, but clearly he is not very bright. Did he really think he would get away with it?
Hang on a minute – The video is date stamped Feb 2017 but the car accident is said to have occurred in March 2017. How can the video be used as evidence of a fraud if it pre-dates the event. If anything, it shows what an impressive right foot he has and, the devastating effect of an injury to it, should be rightly compensated.
Accident in March 2017. Video of him playing football was in Feb 2019 – almost two years later. Saunders agreeing to re-pay the legal costs is no punishment. He should be prosecuted for fraud. What a Muppet.