Man who pretended to be police officer jailed

A MAN who spent several years pretending to be a police officer has been jailed for 20 months.

Stuart Howatson, 31, of Bewdley, Worcestershire, conned family and friends, including his wife, into believing he was a policeman. He enjoyed an illustrious sham career with the Metropolitan Police, serving as an armed officer and even a protection officer to the Queen.

Before his 2006 wedding, he told guests that former Met commissioner Sir John Stevens would attend and even set out a place for him.

Howatson was eventually exposed as a fraud following a tip-off to Scotland Yard's anti-corruption command. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said the impersonator was sentenced to 20 months in prison yesterday.