Fake admiral pleads to stealing valor

Jonathan Carley, not a Royal Navy admiral, nor a recipient of the DSO or QVRM

We talked about the Walter Mitty-type back in November. This chap showed up for a Remembrance Day event in the dress of His Majesty’s Royal Navy, sporting some medals. Keen observers noted that he was wearing the Distinguished Service Order and the Queen’s Volunteer Reserve Medal. Not only are there scant few flag officers in the Royal Navy, but to date not a single person has been confirmed to have received both a DSO and the QVRM.

Well, at the time the bogus admiral was unidentified. Didn’t take long for authorities to find him and charge him. He’s now plead guilty to the charges.

The BBC has the scoop;

A man has been fined £500 after admitting to dressing as a navy admiral without permission at a Remembrance Sunday event.

Jonathan Carley, 65, was charged with wearing uniform or dress bearing the mark of His Majesty’s Forces without permission.

He was arrested at his home in north Wales after images showed him wearing the uniform of one of the Royal Navy’s most senior ranks, along with a raft of medals – including a Distinguished Service Order – at a Remembrance Sunday parade in Llandudno.

Appearing at Llandudno Magistrates’ Court on Monday, Carley was fined £500 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £200 surcharge.

Carley, from Harlech in Gwynedd, told police that the naval uniform was issued to him legitimately when he was in the cadets but he had rear admiral rings added by a tailor and he had bought medals online.

James Neary, prosecuting, said at the “well attended” service, Carley wore medals including for service in Iraq and Syria and approached organisers to introduce himself.

“The defendant was allowed to lay a wreath. He did so, he saluted and stood among other dignitaries,” Neary said.

Carley cut a lonely figure in the dock, dressed in a long formal coat and shirt and tie.

Head down and facing away from a row of reporters filling the press bench and public gallery, he spoke only to confirm his name, age, address and to state “guilty” as the charge against him was read out.

His solicitor said Carley had already suffered punishment.

“He is the author of his own misfortune,” said Mark Haslam.

“He has been punished by being publicly humiliated. It is going to continue.”

District Judge Gwyn Jones said Carley had “set out to deceive” those attending the Llandudno ceremony on 9 November 2025.

“It should have been a genuine opportunity to remember and think about the lives of all those who have served their country and their community,” he said.

“Your actions totally disrespected all those who have fought.

“It is a sad reflection upon you that you chose to do such a thing on such a difficult day for so many.”

Leaving court, Carley did not answer questions from reporters but stood next to Haslam as he delivered a short statement.

“My client would like to reiterate his apologies to all of those who have been affected by what he did,” said Haslam.

“As we made clear in court, he is utterly remorseful and he accepts the sentence of the court.”

Carley was seen wearing the epaulettes and sleeve lace of a Rear Admiral, a two-star position that is one of the highest ranks in the Royal Navy, at the event in November.

Llandudno Town Council, which organised the Remembrance event, confirmed that no-one of the senior rank had been due to attend the ceremony.

He was seen walking in formation to the war memorial before a wreath was laid by another individual, and then saluted at the war memorial before marching away.

Concerns were raised by serving and former service personnel.

They had become suspicious of the supposed Rear Admiral – the third highest rank in the Royal Navy – when they saw his sword and the rare Distinguished Service Order medal.

“It’s one down from the Victoria Cross,” Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry told the BBC.

When Carley was arrested on 14 November, he told police: “I’ve been expecting you.”

He said in a police interview he had wanted a sense of “belonging and affirmation”.

Carley faced a single charge of being a person not serving in HM military forces, wearing without His Majesty’s permission a uniform and dress bearing the regimental or other distinctive mark of the military force, namely The Royal Navy.

The court was told that is an offence under the Uniforms Act, which dates back to 1894.

Carley has previously given newspaper interviews about both studying and rowing at Oxford and Harvard – as well as teaching at some of the UK’s most prestigious schools such as Eton, Cheltenham and Shiplake College.

If he wanted a sense of belonging and affirmation, maybe he should have enlisted.

Category: Navy Poser, Stolen Valor, Valor Vultures