Fantasist who shot himself jailed

A FANTASIST who twice shot himself with a nail gun to falsely claim he had been attacked by thugs was jailed yesterday.

David Russell, 38, a father from Gloucester, claimed he was unable to work after being shot seven times in the chest by a gang in the street on August 11.

But police became suspicious of the telephone engineer’s account and it later emerged he had shot himself with the DIY tool.

Russell, who pleaded guilty to two charges of perverting the course of justice, was sentenced to two-and- a-half years by Judge Martin Picton at Gloucester Crown Court.

The first charge relates to the August incident, while the second charge relates to another faked nail gun attack which took place three years ago in Bristol.

On that occasion, Russell claimed £4,400 (€6,170) compensation. The prosecution said he had told the “most audacious of lies”.

Julian Kesner, prosecuting, said: “He was a very convincing fantasist.”

After the last incident, in August, Russell was left with five two-inch nails stuck in his ribcage — one an inch from his heart — and two in his forearm.

Russell claimed the attack took place as he walked to a cash-point at an Asda store near his home. He claimed the gang, described as two black youths and a mixed- race man aged in their late teens to early 20s, grabbed him from behind.

Russell told reporters from his hospital bed the attack was “like some kind of sick joke for these kids”.

But after officers became suspicious, he admitted he staged the attack. The court heard how he had just lost his job and was under financial pressure to support his partner, who was on maternity leave.