David Griffiths, 52, has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison after defrauding two women he met on dating applications. Using a complex series of lies, the Malvern resident claimed to be a wealthy pilot and former Army major who had served alongside Prince Harry. These fabrications allowed him to manipulate his victims, Joanne Brandon-Hodgkinson and Helen Moorefield, into providing thousands of pounds for non-existent luxury holidays and other expenses.
The deception collapsed when a real estate agent discovered Griffiths was not the affluent buyer he claimed to be during a house purchase. Investigations revealed that the Ministry of Defence had no record of his career as an Apache pilot, and his employers were vastly different from his stated high-profile roles. Griffiths, who previously held a suspended sentence for charity fraud, pleaded guilty to defrauding his victims of over £14,000 in total. Both women have since been reimbursed by their respective banks.
While the court proceedings are concluded, both victims expressed frustration with the police handling of their cases, noting lapses in communication and feeling their experiences were initially minimized as simple relationship disputes. Griffiths is scheduled for a proceeds of crime hearing later this year.
