A man who was desperate for work falsely claimed he was an army hero, a court heard.
Lincoln Magistrates were told that the defendant told the lie when he was interviewed for a position as account manager with a timber firm in Keelby, Lincolnshire.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, said he told his employer that he had served in the army - the Royal Green Jackets - from 1985 - 1997 but they did not know he had lied until they looked into his background following his dismissal from the job.
“He produced medals at the interview to back up his claim,” Mr Clare said.
Mr Clare said the offence came to light after the employer called in police following inaccuracies with a £170 company cheque which the defendant said was for his employer's vehicle excise licence when he used it to pay for his own vehicle.
“It was only after his dismissal, due his employers being unhappy with his work, that the offences came to light,” Mr Clare said.
The man was arrested four years after the offence. He said he did not know the police were looking for him or he would have got in touch with them.
The 40 year-old from Birmingham, admitted obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception and theft between June 13, 2005 and May 30, 2006.
The man, who represented himself, said he was extremely remorseful for what he had done and he regretted his “absolute foolishness and stupidity” at a time when he was desperate for work.
“What I did was wrong. I am more sorry than I can express,” he said.
Magistrates said they had seriously considered sending him to jail but because of his early guilty plea, obvious remorse and lack of previous convictions, they would impose 300 hours of community service and a community order of 12 months. He also has to pay costs of £60 and compensation of £170.