Paul Berryman, 62, was due to be sentenced for possession of a prohibited shotgun, an offence which 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 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)

He claimed he had fought for the Parachute Regiment in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Falklands and had been left with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving from 1979 until 2007.

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

© Norwich Evening News