To feel sorry for the fake admiral

[MajesticWhine]

It seems to be a victimless crime and I don’t think he was doing anyone any harm. Given the amount of crimes such as shoplifting that go unpunished AIBU to think this man should be let off with a caution?

‘Fake admiral’ charged after Remembrance memorial
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/4d56e1d99d56fda6

My post didn't refer to Prince William for a reason, he's not as clueless as his brother or his uncle. Even so, the men who would not qualify as co-pilots with all the advantages these men have are few and far between.
Most people can succeed if they have sufficient resources and support.

@IsItSnowing

Thanks for your reply .
Not to derail but what is made ‘legal’ for the Windsors and illegal for the rest of us is a whole other thread…

Interesting point above about why we don’t have the offence of ‘stolen valour’ here or the Windsors would have some explaining to do

Like Hugh Grant's character in Paddington 2

Like I said, an ecletic, random, meanlingless tax-payer funded elongated work experience around the various armed services without being in harm's way and acheiving anything of note. Probably a real pain in the arse for the senior officers to deal with. And then he gets promoted to colonel-in-chief of a regiment, not based on merit or experience, but on the fact he's a descendant of William the Conqueror. He then gets to play army/navy/RAF take your pick fancy dress for the rest of his life.

@PrimalScreaming He claims to be a Lt Col, but I can't find him in the Gazette.

If this is about the gentleman wearing senior army officer uniform at the parade the informed opinion from elsewhere is that he is associated with the cadet forces so isn't a regular, but he is "legit", but the sharp eyed have spotted some minor uniform irregularities.

@notimagain I know his name and I can't find him in the Gazette. I can find Jonathan Carley.

I really don't know the answer to this - how does the Gazette handle Cadet Force, Air Training Corp and similar promotions of those who are civilians outside of the hours they are involved with the voluntary work?

@notimagain They have a commissioned rank. Here, for example, is one of Jonathan Carley's Gazette two entries, bottom right of page. He ran CCF at Cheltenham College and Shiplake.
The Gazette 11th May 1993

Update: I have now found the Army guy in the Gazette and his rank looks Kosher. Very odd that he didn't rumble Carley - they know each other well.

Thanks...

Crossed posts, edited to remove now irrelevant possible identifiers.

@notimagain Second initial P.

Dooh...

My sources have an L..ah well..

IME they don’t have a mental illness …

it’s their personality / ego at play -

they make up lies for the benefit of power / glory / sometimes control of other people

they do it for their own benefit

that in itself is not mental illness
that is just being a dick

Exactly. People should stop making excuses for dickish behaviour.

Is that the same woman who claimed she lost her fiance to 9/11? She became head of a families of 9/11 victim support group but it was eventually revealed that her fiance didn't exist. She then faked her own suicide but was spotted alive and well living in Europe.

It's such a bizarre thing and I can't believe these people aren't unwell in some way because I wouldn't have the nerve to try and pull it off or the memory to remember all the lies.

As I used to say to my children-you can have an explanation but it’s not necessarily an excuse. But I find it hard to believe that a person without some form of mental illness would do the impersonation so very badly. He couldn’t possibly have thought he’d get away with it.

Yes, but I thought the actual person she claimed to be her fiancé did exist. She'd never met him, she got his name from a list of those who died. His family had never heard of her.

"She's literally done fuck all to deserve it- never put her life on the line by serving in the armed forces."
If she was plain Anne Smith, she wouldn't have been the target of a kidnap attempt during which four people were shot.

Which brings me to my next point. If any walt, tinder swindler, or general fantasist can pretend to be a serviceman with only a slap on
the wrist or an indulgent smile, and it becomes common, then it makes it easier for people with more sinister motives to do their thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_Day_bombing
It's a security risk.
So I don't give a shit about the fake admiral, he can be keelhauled for all I care.

Well obviously it is a crime, otherwise he would not have been arrested...

Yes! I thought that too but didn't put it because I wasn't 100% and couldn't be arsed to check. I wonder if she researched the lists of deceased men to ensure she didn't pick someone who already had a wife.

Maybe he has a crush on certain members of royalty ?

He hasn’t been arrested for causing offence.

I don't know, but I wondered that too, at the time.

@powershowerforanhour

Your post makes no sense . This is about individuals awarding themselves nonsense ‘medals’ . Politicans and billionaires are at risk of / have been kidnapped . They don’t dress up in faux military garb.

Edward, and in particular, Anne , often look ludicrous .