Barnes resigned as a NSW POlice senior constable last year after colleagues became suspicious of dramatic war stories he told over nine months, including claims he had beemn awarded service medals, had met warlords, witnessed a woman and child being killed, and jumped from a helicopter during tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Court heard he took "props" to work, including a knife and a telescope, to substantiate the claims and showed colleagues photographs in which he had photoshopped his face onto images of two decorated veterans.
Barnes was initially charged with 29 offences (facing a maximum penalty of six months' jail and $3,300 fine for each charge). He sought to have them dismissed on mental health grounds, with his lawyer arguing that suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after a decade in the police force where movement to a desk job resulted in a "loss of identity". She commented "I'd describe it as locker room talk to his colleagues to perhaps make himself seem more appealing".
