A binman who invented a long and distinguished military career in an attempt to avoid a mandatory five-year jail term has been jailed for even longer – for attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Paul Berryman, 62, claimed he had served with the Parachute Regiment between 1979 and 2007 in the hope his service to his country would help him avoid a period behind bars after admitting a firearms offence.
But the sentencing judge became suspicious after spotting basic spelling mistakes on what he claimed were official Army documents and ordered an investigation.
It revealed that Berryman had not only been in the Army for less than two weeks before being discharged but had also served a jail term when he claimed to be on active duty.
Despite being caught in the lie, he continued to proclaim his innocence to police and his trial jury, who took just 88 minutes to convict him of attempting to pervert the course of justice earlier this year.
