Walter Mitty drug consumer who pretended he served in Afghanistan with the British Military and had PTSD is jailed for perverting course of justice

A ‘Walter Mitty’ drug consumer who gave a false title and faked a navy profession in an try and keep away from jail time has been lastly been put behind bars after a choose rumbled his ruse.  

Naveed Hussain, 25, began his elaborate lie in 2020 after he was arrested for hashish possession.

The fantasist claimed he was known as Adam Ali, somebody Hussain knew at school who was a PCSO, and he acquired only a hashish warning from the police. 

His deception was solely uncovered two years later when Mr Ali, who was serving as a PCSO with Somerset and Avon Police, utilized to hitch Gwent Police as a constable. 

When he failed the vetting course of due to a hashish warning on his file, Mr Ali launched an attraction. Hussain was then caught when police officer physique cam footage was uncovered. 

The South Wales Argus reported that the prosecutor, Peter Donnison, instructed Cardiff Crown Court docket that the video clearly confirmed Hussain.   

After pleading responsible to perverting the course of justice, Hussain’s net of lies solely grew to become extra dramatic. 

Following a pre-sentence report, he instructed a probation officer he was a former British Military soldier who had served in Afghanistan who was affected by PTSD in an effort to obtain a extra lenient sentence.

It was then uncovered that whereas he had enrolled at a navy preparation faculty, a verify with the Ministry of Defence revealed he had by no means been a serviceman.

Matthew Roberts representing the defendant described his consumer as a ‘Walter Mitty’ – the mild-mannered fictional character who lives a vivid fantasy life. Mr Roberts went on to say Hussain had behaved  ‘stupidly and naively’. 

The Recorder of Cardiff Choose Tracey Lloyd-Clarke instructed Hussain: ‘You acknowledged that you just had served 4 years within the British Military along with your service ending in July 2017.

‘I do not fairly perceive why it hadn’t been picked up till it got here earlier than me {that a} younger man of your age couldn’t have served 4 years in British Military, with the service ending in July 2017, as you were not 19 till the September of that 12 months.

‘You additionally went on to say, and it’s set out within the report, that you just had finished a tour of obligation in Afghanistan.

‘You mentioned that you just had been identified with post-traumatic stress dysfunction, that you just repeatedly suffered flashbacks, that your GP had given you treatment however you not took that treatment as a result of your signs had lessened.

‘And certainly, in assessing your expertise of trauma, the probation officer took that under consideration.’

She continued: ‘It’s clear that you just prompted very vital misery to Mr Ali.

‘Certainly, if the officer who stopped you had not switched on his physique worn video, Mr Ali may have been sacked, branded a liar and suffered lifelong penalties.’

Hussain was jailed for 12 months after admitting conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.  

In the meantime, Mr Ali’s utility to hitch Gwent Police was unsuccessful for unrelated causes.