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Army Strong

Mark Lloyd, 33, collected 6,551 pounds (US$8,600) in Personal Independence Payments after being medically discharged from the British Army. The discharge came from an injury to his lower back while he was serving in Afghanistan. “He said he can only walk between 20 and 50 metres” (20-50 yards), prosecutor Chris Evans said. “Can’t walk on uneven ground, suffers pain when walking long distances and needs to sit down every 20 minutes.” During the time he was collecting payments, though, there are pictures of Lloyd doing more than short walks. In one photo, he was posing with a guide during his five-day trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. Other photos show him competing in a triathlon — where he won in his category. He also allegedly participated in the World Powerboat Championships in Malta. Defense lawyer James Harris said Lloyd’s claims weren’t dishonest, and that he had pushed through the pain because of his Army training. “When climbing Mount Kilimanjaro he said he pushed himself and was in agony,” Harris said. District Judge Martin Brown called that assessment “nonsense.” Lloyd was convicted of one count of dishonestly failing to disclose information to make a gain for himself. (MS/BBC) ...Sure he climbed, ran, biked, swam, and sailed. He only said he couldn’t walk.