A “FANTASIST” who pretended to be a police chief at a Cheshire Oaks car dealership has promised never to impersonate a member of the emergency services again.

Dr Alexei Luca Samuel Gabriel Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg, 41, of Sarn Lane, Caergwrle, Flintshire, turned up at the Skoda showroom requesting a test-drive while dressed in body armour.

He took one of the cars for a spin but when he failed to return after half an hour the suspicious salesman contacted police to check the story.

Sporting a bodycam, spray canister and high-rank epaulettes on his uniform, Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg was soon intercepted and arrested on Hoole Road, Chester, on April 8 last year.

He initially denied any wrongdoing claiming he was simply a collector of memorabilia and had not intended to deceive anyone.

But he was convicted of impersonating a police officer following a trial in July and was sentenced to a 26-week curfew order at Chester Magistrates Court on Thursday.

The bench also ordered that all of his fake police and emergency services gear be destroyed.

Addressing magistrates, Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg said: “I can assure you that I am extremely remorseful. I won’t do it again.”

Describing what happened at the Ellesmere Port showroom, prosecutor Rob Youds said the defendant had been decked out in full police uniform when he spoke to the salesman.

“The defendant has come up to him and said he had only recently been promoted to chief inspector,” Mr Youds said. “He said he had been working all night and was complaining that he was tired.

“He told the witness his role was to manage the investigations into religiously motivated hate crime and he himself had been the victim of this because he is Jewish.

“He said he was also a doctor and had medical training, and because of this he needed a fast car that would be fitted with police livery.”

He agreed to a 20-minute test drive, filled out the paperwork and then drove off in a new Skoda Superb.

After 30 minutes the witness became suspicious and Googled Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg’s address, before deciding that his actual home was not befitting of a chief inspector. He then called the police.

Following the defendant’s arrest, officers searched his home and discovered other items including a North Wales Police cap, radios, a paramedic’s uniform and Leeds City police badges.

During his trial, Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg said he had once worked as a special constable with North Wales Police and had special permission to wear body armour in public.

However, Mr Youds said enquiries had been made with the force and there was “no trace” that he had ever worked with them.

Defending, Wendy Shurrock said her client came across as a “pleasant, articulate and educated” man who also “presents as a fantasist”.

She also stressed that at no point did he pose a risk to the public.

“He was trouble to the police and trouble to the car garage person who he was test-driving the car for but he’s not pulling people over on the roads or knocking on people’s front doors,” said Miss Shurrock.

“He is genuinely remorseful and he does understand that this is behaviour that is not acceptable. He accepts that sometimes he exaggerates.”

Under the terms of his curfew, Von Sonderburg-Glucksburg must stay indoors at his home address, where he lives with his mother, between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

He was also ordered to pay £620 in court costs and an £85 victim surcharge.