Paul Berryman, 62, had admitted possessing a prohibited shotgun in November 2018 and was due to be sentenced the following year.

That offence carries a mandatory prison sentence of five years unless there are exceptional circumstances.

But Norwich Crown Court - where he is now on trial for perverting the course of justice - has been told he then made grand claims about having served in the military for almost 30 years to try to avoid prison.

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) Berryman, of Willbye Avenue, Diss, claimed he had fought for the Parachute Regiment in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falklands and had been left with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

However, his trial has heard that documents provided........

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