Man ordered to pay council £18,000 over false pothole claim

Monday, 12 January 2026 21:43

By David Murphy

A Wigan man who falsely claimed compensation for a cycling injury has been ordered to pay Rochdale Borough Council more than £18,000 after a judge ruled he was “fundamentally dishonest”.

Phillip Harkins, 42, from Lily Lane, Platt Bridge, had claimed up to £20,000 from the council, alleging he fractured his collarbone after hitting a pothole on Summit Street, Heywood, in May 2020.

But investigations revealed the injury likely occurred while he was performing stunts on his bike, not due to any road defect.

When the council rejected the original claim, Mr Harkins escalated the case to court. During a hearing at Manchester Civil Justice Centre on 7 October 2025, District Judge Haisley dismissed the case entirely and ordered Mr Harkins to pay the council’s legal costs totalling just over £18,000.

The court found significant inconsistencies in Mr Harkins’ version of events, including contradictions in the timeline and a conflicting statement from a friend who was with him at the time. Most damning was evidence that Mr Harkins had told two separate clinicians at Bury’s Fairfield Hospital that he had injured himself while ‘bunny hopping’ on his bike.

The judge concluded the claim was deliberately fabricated and amounted to an abuse of the legal process.

Councillor Carol Wardle, cabinet member for finance at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We investigate all compensation claims because any money paid out is ultimately coming from the taxpayer. We have a responsibility to ensure that public funds are protected.

“Mr Harkins has paid a high price for trying to pull a fast one with what was essentially a totally fabricated claim. I hope this finding deters anyone who may be tempted to make similarly fantastical claims in the future.”