'Forest Boy' who pretended he lived in woods for five years finally admits he made up story after finding out ex-girlfriend was pregnant

Robin van Helsum said he became homeless in Germany after running away from his native Holland when he discovered the pregnancy



Said he was in debt and concocted the story after sleeping on the streets

His story made headlines across the world when he said he had lived in the woods of central Europe with his father



Hoax was uncovered when pictures of him were circulated by police

Forrest Boy Robin van Helsum said he concocted his story after discovering his ex-girlfriend was pregnant

He made headlines across the world as the 'Forest Boy' who duped authorities into believing he had been brought up in the woods of central Europe.



But now Robin van Helsum has finally revealed that debts to his landlord and a pregnant ex-girlfriend drove him into weaving his elaborate story.



Van Helsum wandered into a town hall in Berlin in 2011, speaking broken English and claiming he was called Ray.



He said he had been living in a forest with his father called Ryan for five years but had buried him after his sudden death two weeks previously.



Berlin social services paid for accommodation for him, his clothing and German lessons for the English-speaking Dutchman.

But he then disappeared without a trace as his lies unravelled and authorities in Berlin tried to charge him £25,000 for the cost of keeping him in a children's home.



The 21-year-old's lies were uncovered when he was identified by friends and family as German police released his photograph.



Van Helsum told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad that he owed more than 8,000 euros in rent and he had been forced to move into a homeless hostel in Hengelo , according to The Independent .

After discovering an ex-girlfriend was pregnant, he travelled to Berlin with friends but within days his money ran out and his friends returned to Holland.



He slept on the streets before walking into the town hall with his story.



He said: 'I knew that if I didn't they would send me back to Hengelo,' The Independent reported.



Van Helsum told police his father became ill and told him to walk north to fetch for help before he died.



Police even tried to find the body of van Helsum's fictional father after he said he was buried under a pile of stones.



Van Helsum, who worked in a fast food restaurant, left, has not returned to Holland after his hoax was discovered. The truth was uncovered after photographs, right, were distributed across Europe



After disappearing for about three months after being exposed, van Helsum was tracked down to a fast food chain in Germany last year, where he was working.



He still lives in the country and is facing charges.



He told the Dutch newspaper: I thought about running away, but in the end I decided to stay and solve my problems with the authorities'.



Last year, his stepmother Ellen said she heard from van Helsum after he was publically unmasked.



She said: 'I was assuming that he would show up one day on the pavement outside, but nothing.'

