SYDNEY, Dec. 5  -- A lawyer for a man who faked credentials to pass as a mechanic for Australia's Qantas airline said Thursday his client lives in a "parallel universe."

A psychologist testified to a court in New South Wales that Timothy McCormack, 27, is a "pathological liar," The Sydney Morning Herald reported. McCormack pleaded guilty in September to getting a job with the airline by fraud.

"My client is trying to create for himself this mythological place where he had greater status and where he could in fact hide from his utter self-loathing," lawyer Sydney Jacobs said, describing McCormack's world as a "perfect parallel universe."

McCormack worked for Qantas for 10 months, certifying 747s as safe to fly. He claimed to be a licensed maintenance engineer who had passed the Civil Aviation Safety Authority exam.

Judge Mark Merien postponed sentencing until Dec. 17 and said McCormack is likely to get a substantial prison term.

"This is someone who not only was carrying out maintenance on Qantas jets carrying large numbers of people, but was actually certifying work done by other people. It's the potential of the harm that could have been done," the judge said. (UPI)