A CROOKED car repair specialist who swindled more than £50,000 out of insurance companies with bogus claims has walked free from court.

David Saunders was told by a judge that his excellent work in a deprived Teesside community had saved him from an immediate prison sentence.

Saunders submitted invoices to three leading insurance firms for fictitious windscreen repairs for their customers for almost four years.

His crooked dealing emerged when an ice cream seller from Darlington queried why his policy had been changed and was told he had made too many claims.

The customer said he had never had a window replaced and an investigation revealed Saunders was at the heart of dozens of identical frauds.

Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday that the 42-year-old got details of car owners while working for a Darlington windscreen repair company.

He then set up his own business at home, while still working for the firm, and submitted 108 invoices to insurers for work he never carried out.

Ian West, prosecuting, told the court that Saunders made £52,674 between August 2002 and when the con came to light in the spring of 2006.

Norwich Union paid Saunders more than £33,000, Axa handed over more than £12,000 and Alliance Cornhill almost £7,500.

The court heard that Saunders still runs AutoScreens North- East, employs six people and insurance companies are continuing to use him.

Brian Russell, mitigating, described the Middlesbrough man, who had no previous convictions, as being of positive good character.

The court was told that he has been vice-president of the Grangetown Residents' Association and a volunteer for the British Heart Foundation.

Saunders also helped raise £10,000 on a charity bike ride from Middlesbrough to London, and cash for a Newcastle hospital.

Judge Peter Fox imposed a 12- month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and with probation service supervision.

He told Saunders: "It is thanks to your excellent work for the community that you escape a prison sentence, because £52,000 is a sizeable amount."

He added: "The insurance companies you defrauded appear to be willing to carry on doing business with you and you employ, in an area where employment is especially valuable, six others."

Saunders, of Parkgate, Darlington, admitted 16 specimen counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception and asked for a further 92 to be taken into account.