Ex-military clerk ‘pretended to be SAS hero suffering with cancer to scam well-wishers out of thousands of pounds’

AN ex-military clerk scammed businesses out of thousands of pounds by pretending to be an SAS hero with cancer, a court heard yesterday.

Scheming Simon Buckden, 44, bragged about 'frontline active service" in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, both Gulf Wars and Rwanda.

The former squaddie went on to raise funds for a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder charity and was even chosen to carry the Olympic Torch in 2012.

He ran several marathons for charities - including Help for Heroes - and hit national headlines in the process.

But in reality his military record showed he only worked as a humble military clerk in the armed services.

Prosecutor Craig Hassall, prosecuting: "He has told other veterans that he served with the SAS and has attended events wearing medals and an SAS beret.

"But within his military record there is no suggestion he ever saw any active service on the front line."

The veteran, who claimed to have held a dying child in his arms and to have worked undercover in Northern Ireland, had spoken and written of his time growing up in care and his career in the army and the SAS.

On three occasions he was featured in The Sun telling of his battlefield exploits and his struggle with PTSD.

Mr Halsall told Leeds Crown Court: "In light of what he said about his cancer diagnosis, people were, naturally, moved by his story and moved to try and help him.

"Here was a man making a valiant effort to raise funds for charity running a 100 marathons in a 100 weeks who had, in the middle of all that, been cruelly struck down with cancer.

"Many of the witnesses in the case provided either money or practical help to the defendant's cause, as a result of hearing about his cancer diagnosis."

Mr Hassall told the jury that police found "no mention whatsoever of him being diagnosed with cancer".

He added: "Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have checked all of their systems and databases and have confirmed that there are no notes or information of the defendant "having ever been diagnosed, treated or received any sort of therapy in relation to cancer".

One businessman gave Buckden £2,000 for a holiday so he could take a break from his fundraising.

Another businessman made a promotional film for free for Buckden, which the defendant decided was too upsetting to show.

Another businessman raised over £1500 and donated it to Buckden to set up a social enterprise called Position Action for PTSD.

Buckden alleged scammed around £8,000 off various businesses, in both money and services.

The court heard Buckden, from Leeds, West Yorks., enlisted in 1989 and by 1993 had qualified as a military clerk.

By the time he was discharged in 2001 he had passed courses in regimental office finances and handling classified documents.

The jury heard Buckden completed one tour of duty in Bosnia but there is no record of service for Rwanda, either of the Gulf Wars or Northern Ireland.

The section on his record, which details the medals a soldier may wear, is blank.

Buckden was arrested in August 2014 after a former girlfriend challenged him about his health and interviewed.

He admitted he had never served with the SAS or done any undercover work in the army.

Buckden also told police that a friend told him he had cancer, but he treated himself and received no treatment on the NHS.

He told police he lied about receiving radiotherapy.

He denies fraud. The trail continues.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368