IPSWICH policeman James Hamilton and his mother Linda Cook appeared at Norwich Crown Court today and denied conspiracy to defraud Eagle Star Insurance Company by making a false claim.

IPSWICH policeman James Hamilton and his mother Linda Cook appeared at Norwich Crown Court today and denied conspiracy to defraud Eagle Star Insurance Company by making a false claim.

The court heard that Hamilton, 29, of Burgess Place, Martlesham, Suffolk had crashed his Honda motorcycle and had allegedly made a claim from his mother's insurance policy as his was only third party.

Hamilton and his mother, 53, of Norwich Road, Little Stonham, has denied conspiracy to defraud between December 26, 2001 and March 2, 2002, by making a false claim concerning a 400cc Honda motorcycle.

Anthony Bate, prosecuting said the couple alleged that an accident occurred on the A140 on January 27 last year.

The accident allegedly occurred between Hamilton's motorbike and his mother's Fiesta car. They allegedly made a claim on Mrs Cook's motor policy in order to recoup the value of Hamilton's motorcycle, which was a right-off.

Mr Bate claimed that Hamilton had had an accident on Christmas Day 2001 but had however, made a false claim that he was involved in an accident on January 27, 2002.

He said he claimed the crash occurred with his mother's vehicle on January 27, 2002. "The crown say this was a bogus claim," he said.

He said Hamilton had bought the motorcycle for £1,500 and it had distinguishing colours of blue, red and gold stripes. Mr Bate claimed that by 2002 Hamilton had accrued "substantial debts" of around £20,000.

He said on Christmas Day on 2001 he had spent the day with his girlfriend Emma Smith and in the afternoon had gone to see his mother at Little Stonham and his father who lived in Kesgrave.

Mr Bate claimed that the motorcycle had collided with a grass bank and then a property on the A140 near Grundisburgh.

The case continues.