Former UKIP councillor is a BIGAMIST who faked an illustrious military career to win votes
"Manipulative" politician stills sits on Thanet Council as a member of the Democratic Independent Group
A "MANIPULATIVE" former UKIP councillor has been exposed as a BIGAMIST who faked an illustrious military career to lie his way into local politics.
Konnor Collins was elected onto Thanet Council, Kent, in May last year, but has not been to a council meeting in "eight months" blaming poor health.
Twice-married, never divorced, Collins has been described as a "vile" bigamist by his most recent wife.
"Despicable" Collins, whose real name is Kevan, left UKIP over a dispute but is still a local councillor as a member of the Democratic Independent Group.
The partially-blind 54-year-old, who won votes pretending to be "the most decorated living British war veteran", is one of the founding members of the tiny party.
Sarah Pye, 33, was married to the "cruel" fantasist for roughly four years, and wasn't shocked to hear of his fabricated military career.
Vigilante group the Walter Mitty Hunters Club expose fakers who pretend they served in the forces, and were quick to investigate when they heard about his apparently highly-decorated service.
Collins claimed to have served as a Regimental Sergeant Major in the Paratroopers, and said he received several military honours including the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC), the Military Cross (MC), the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), and an MBE.
But after a thorough investigation the Walter Mitty hunters found no evidence of him having even served in the forces, let alone leading a remarkable career glistening with honours.
Ms Pye, who unknowingly wed Collins while he was already married to another woman, was far from shocked when she heard of his deceit.
The 33-year-old, who lives in Sheffield, said: "I'm not surprised because while we together he told endless lies.
"He would always big himself up to make him sound like something special.
"He was a manipulator and a liar, he always knew how to manipulate people."
Ms Pye moved with Collins from Rochdale to Nottingham after they married in 2003.
She broke up with him in 2007 after suspecting he was having an affair while she was in hospital suffering from thyroid cancer.
Ms Pye said she learned he was already married after they had split up, when she found letters that had been written to him by his first wife Sheila.
She said: "I was used to his lies and manipulation by then so I wasn't actually that angry or stunned by it, I decided by then I wanted to be away from him and just getting on with my life.
"By that stage there was the realisation that I didn't care about him anymore.
"He's a vile man, he manipulates people."
Rather than divorcing the Walter Mitty water veteran Sarah obtained a decree of nullification - a process she claims was actually more expensive than it would have been to divorce him.
"Good for nothing" Collins was first married roughly 30 years ago after he met Sheila Quayle in Margate, Kent, and the pair didn't split up until around 15 years later.
Sheila, 62, was also far from stunned to hear of his mocked-up military background, and said: "He is full of bull muck.
"He wouldn't be in the army.
"I think we were married around 1985 or 1986, it's hard to remember but I would never see him.
";He was always spinning a yarn about the things he had done."
Sheila added: "How on earth did he get a job in local politics?
"I have never met a more good for nothing human being in my entire life."
Sheila,who lives in Walsall, West Midlands, has never divorced Collins and so it would appear they are still married.
Collins, who lives in Ramsgate, Kent, was a UKIP candidate when he was elected to represent Northwood in Thanet in May last year.
He left the party in October last year over a disagreement concerning Manston Airport but remains a councillor.
The Sun Online knocked on Collins' door to put questions to him about his past, but his partner claimed he was in hospital and will be there for a couple of months.
Christopher Wells, the leader of Thanet Council, has slammed the fake war veteran and says he will be struck off from the council within the next few weeks.
UKIP member Mr Wells discovered the councillor was lying about his military career after his supposed honours appeared on a damages claim Collins submitted against him.
Collins accused the Thanet Council leader, deputy leader, and council chairman, of discrimination on the basis of his disability - in reference to his limited vision.
Mr Wells said military personnel got in touch with him to say they had never heard of Collins when the story of the "ex-serviceman's" claim made the news.
Speaking about when he discovered Collins had been spinning everyone a yarn, Mr Wells said: "I was utterly sickened because he had told us about these different levels of experience.
"Some had sounded exaggerated.
"Because he used these supposed honours in his election material I felt the party had been smeared."
He added: "He is one of the boldest and cruellest liars I have ever met."
Peter Campbell, a Labour councillor on Thanet Council, said he felt "anger" when he heard of Collins' lies and believes he should have resigned.
Mr Campbell said: "This man faked not only his service in the paras but compounded that by inventing for himself military honours that have genuinely been awarded to our brave members of the armed services.
"He is a complete disgrace and still refuses to resign as an elected councillor.
"Despicable.
"He last attended a Thanet District Council meeting about eight months ago."
After Collins' web of lies began to unravel the Ministry of Defence confirmed its initial checks with the Parachute Regiment found no record of him serving with the unit.
The Walter Mitty Hunters Club referred to a list of all CGC recipients and Collins' name didn't appear.
They also contacted four other ex Parachute regiment officer and through all four battalions, none of them had ever heard of Collins.
The vigilante group said on their blog it was "very strange as he claimed to have been an MBE, CGC, MC, and a DSC."
The Walter Mitty hunters were unable to find evidence of any medals, and eventually a man claiming to be Collins wrote them a letter confessing to the lies and said he would like the matter "drawn to a close".
In the letter, the person claiming to be Collins, wrote: "I can confirm I have never been a member of the Parachute Regiment.
"A Regimental Sergeant Major or that I was never awarded any of the medals that I had claimed as my own on several occasions, both in private and social functions in my civic duty's .
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"I cannot explain why I did it other then I am a fool that let things get carried away.
"I am very unwell and I would like the matter to be drawn to a close so I can recover in peace. I have withdrawn from public duties and wish to be left alone."
UKIP confirmed Collins had been a member of the party, and said in a statement: "Konnor Collins was a UKIP member for 16 months, before he left in October last year.
"There are some people who pose as veterans and claim decorations they are not entitled to.
"This is regrettable and sad.