Military historian jailed for faking illustrious army career

John Livesey from Purley-on-Thames suffered from a disorder preventing him telling fact from fiction

A MILITARY historian from Purley-on-Thames who faked an illustrious army career has been jailed for three years after a court heard he suffered from a disorder preventing him telling fact from fiction.

For decades John Livesey, known as Jack, told friends, colleagues and his closest family that he had served with distinction in the Parachute Regiment.

He even claimed on his website that he had advised production crews working on the films Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers.

But his army career amounted to a stint in the Catering Corps between 1971 and 1974.

The 57-year-old's lies came to light following his conviction for benefit fraud in 2004 when he produced references from genuine veterans who had been taken in by him.

He pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice at Peterborough Crown Court in August but judge Nic Madge said, when passing sentence on August 26: ”Much of your life since 1974 has been a lie.”

Roger Harrison, in mitigation, said his client had been diagnosed with histrionic personality and dependent personality disorders.

He said that meant his client could not tell 'fact from fiction'.

Mr Harrison said his client was physically disabled and had restricted mobility.

Previous psychiatric reports found no evidence of such disorders and Judge Madge questioned Livesey's physical disabilities.

Livesey was caught out after he falsely claimed £30,000 in benefits while working at Duxford's Imperial War Museum.

Following his conviction in 2004, he provided references from veterans including Air Commodore Peter Thorne and Major Gordon Corrigan, who served in the Royal Gurkha Rifles and was made an MBE in 1995.

He told those who knew him he reached the rank of Colour Sergeant and that he was awarded a medal for gallantry after serving in the Falklands and Northern Ireland.

However, he was actually discharged from the army in 1974 after he threw himself from a bedroom window in an apparent suicide attempt following a four-month spell in Northern Ireland.

Livesey told the court he had constructed a 'fantasy world' to compensate for his early discharge from the army on medical grounds.

As well as jailing Livesey for three years, the judge ordered that he pay £3,500 in prosecution costs.

Outside court, Gil Boyd BEM, who served with the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, said: “The sentence reflects the seriousness of this man's lies and deceit over many years and I am delighted he has been exposed for what he really is.

“He has disgraced the memory of all soldiers who earned a gallantry award to save their friends' lives in conflict and all those that have returned injured, and this is clearly an insult to their efforts.”