Harwich man sentenced for romance scam that stole over £9,000 from victim
Adam Mowle receives suspended sentence after posing as online girlfriend
A 34-year-old man from Harwich has been handed a suspended sentence after defrauding a Suffolk resident of more than £9,000 through an online romance scam.
Adam Mowle, of Larksfield Crescent, received a 12-month suspended prison sentence at Ipswich Magistrates Court.
In addition, he has been ordered to repay £9,165 in compensation to his victim, alongside a £187 victim surcharge and £850 in prosecution costs. Mowle must also complete 25 days of rehabilitation activities.
The case follows an investigation by Suffolk Trading Standards after the victim reported the fraud.
Mowle admitted last month to one charge of acquiring criminal property by fraud, having transferred the money into his own bank account.
According to court details, the victim was drawn into an online relationship with someone using the alias “Jenna Leigh Smith.”
Over a ten-month period, the victim sent more than £9,000 to “Jenna,” believing the funds were needed to cover illness and financial difficulties. In reality, the money was diverted to Mowle.
The victim who does not want to be named said:
“When I matched with a female called ‘Jenna’ I did not know then that Mowle was impersonating a female called Jenna and I was defrauded into paying thousands of pounds into his account, in the belief I was helping Jenna.
“This incident has had a serious negative impact on my life and my families over the last seven years, and I am grateful to Suffolk Trading Standards for their support during the investigation and the eventual prosecution that led to this outcome today.
“I would like Mowle, and anyone else involved in romance fraud to know of the serious repercussions this has had on my life and my family. I would advise anyone who is unsure of a relationship online to talk to friends and family about it, never give money to someone you have not met in person and report any suspicions to Trading Standards.”