A man has avoided jail after engaging in romance fraud by impersonating a woman to deceive another man into sending him £9,000, which he then spent on his horse. Adam Mowle, 34, created a fake account on a dating app under the guise of a woman named Jenna Smith to trick his victim into transferring large sums of money. Mowle manipulated the victim into believing they were starting a long-term relationship and that Jenna was in poor health and financial distress.
Using the fake persona of Jenna, Mowle engaged in a virtual relationship with the victim for about a year, exchanging numerous messages and phone calls. Despite promises of moving in together and sharing intimate images, Mowle always found excuses to avoid meeting in person. The victim eventually discovered the deception when he realized the money he thought he was lending to Jenna was actually going into Mowle’s bank account.
Mowle, residing in Harwich, Essex, pleaded guilty to fraudulently acquiring criminal property over a period of ten months. Although he was warned that his actions warranted imprisonment, magistrates decided to suspend his 12-month sentence for two years. Additionally, Mowle was ordered to compensate the victim with £9,165, cover prosecution costs, pay a victim surcharge, and undergo rehabilitation.
Further investigations revealed that Mowle had deceived other individuals into giving him money through similar online schemes. The victim, deeply affected by the fraud, shared in a statement how the experience had led to significant financial losses, mental health issues, and even suicidal thoughts.
During the court proceedings, Mowle attributed his actions to experiencing psychosis and creating the false identity of Jenna due to personal struggles. His defense lawyer emphasized that he now expressed genuine remorse and was seeking mental health support. Despite the severity of the offense, the magistrates opted for a suspended sentence, believing in the potential for Mowle’s rehabilitation.
Following the court’s decision, Suffolk Trading Standards expressed satisfaction in bringing Mowle to justice and highlighted the importance of combating fraud to protect the public. They encouraged victims of romance fraud to come forward and report incidents without fear or shame. Reports of suspected fraud can be made in confidence to Suffolk Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.