The fall guys

THE stairs where Maybury fell. His “witness” Jason Costigan admitted not seeing the fall

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Stairway tumble claim rumbled
Greedy John Maybury took no chances when it came to claiming compensation for falling down a flight of stairs.

The 41-year old filed a genuine claim for damages against Oldham Council — then decided to bolster his chances of winning by roping in a friend to say he had seen him tumble.

But when the case came to court, star witness Jason Costigan crumbled when he found himself unable to ignore advice from his grandmother to “always tell the truth.’’

Costigan (37), admitted he had in fact never seen the fall, causing Maybury’s claim to dramatically collapse.

Then as Maybury was left to pick up legal costs of over £9,000, police were called to arrest both him and Costigan and charged them with perjury.

Yesterday a judge told them: ‘’Serious consequences follow for people who lie on oath — the truth lies at the heart of our judicial system.”

Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, heard that Maybury had fallen down what he claimed were a defective set of steps along a passageway in Primrose Walk in 2004.

He suffered serious cuts and bruises and after hospital treatment took out a compensation claim for negligence against the council.

Mr Brian Williams, prosecuting, said Maybury had a genuine claim, but he then asked Costigan, who had helped him get to hospital, to lie about being a witness to the fall.

When civil proceedings came to Oldham county court in May, 2008, Maybury falsely claimed Costigan had been present at the scene. But another witness said the claim was not true and Costigan was cross-examined. He cracked and admitted he hadn’t been at the scene.

The collapse of the case left Maybury of Primrose Bank, Oldham, having to pay £6,500 in costs to Oldham Council, as well as £2,500 to the solicitors he had instructed.

Although it was accepted that it was “likely” Maybury had suffered injuries as a result of the slip, the county court judge said Maybury and Costigan were “unreliable and dishonest witnesses” and that both had lied and attempted to “mislead the court”.

Maybury was jailed for six months, while Costigan, of Romford Close, Oldham, was jailed for four months. Both admitted perjury.