Convicted city fraudster turns up in Ukraine

UK VOLUNTEERS MAN IS TRAINING CLAIM CON TROOPS

- CARL EVE

A PLYMOUTH man who was exposed as a fraud after claiming he was a British Army Captain with 11 years of service is now aiding Ukraine's war effort.

Christopher Griffin's wild and exaggerated career claims were dismissed when he appeared in court in Plymouth in 2014. He had in fact served just 40 days in the Royal Signals.

It now appears Griffin has made his way into a volunteer battalion in Ukraine, and there are claims he has been training troops.

Griffin was taken to court by Plymouth City Council's Trading Standards unit, after he was found to be running a firm called Plymouth Close Protection, offering "executive close protection and bodyguard services".

Appearing at Plymouth Magistrates' Court in September 2014, Griffin pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation, after Trading Standards officials queried his biography, which saw the then 42-year-old claim he had been "a former Captain in the British Military, having served in the Royal Signals' 263 Squadron for 11 years and a further nine years in the British Army Reserves" The biography went on to claim that he had worked on military campaigns in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.