Romance scammer sentenced to 2 years' jail after victim alerted Sussex Police
A romance scammer, who conned his victim out of more than £11,000 after leading her to believe they were in a serious relationship, has been jailed for two years after his actions were reported to Sussex Police.
Andrew Cosham, 57 and of Milne Way on the Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court on 16 February to orchestrating a romance fraud scam in 2022.
After initially meeting his victim on a dating site, he ignored her for a year before starting up contact once again.
He soon began to stay with her at weekends, and she introduced him to her family as her long-term partner.
But in September 2021, he asked her for £200 and disappeared for several more months without repaying the money.
When he got back in touch this time, he told her he was going through a difficult divorce, was in debt to the council, and was supporting his sister whose health was failing.
He convinced the victim to hand over more than £11,000, but this came to an end when he was reported to Sussex Police in September 2022.
The judge at Hove Crown Court jailed him for two years and ordered him to pay a surcharge of £187.
Cosham is also subject to a restraining order that prevents him from directly or indirectly contacting the victim.
Detective Sergeant Rodney Davis, investigating, said: “Romance fraud is a particularly cruel offence.
“The financial loss can have lasting consequences, but the emotional impact from the extensive manipulation by fraudsters can be truly devastating.
“I’d like to stress that romance fraud is never the victim’s fault and encourage anyone who has been the victim of romance fraud to report it to us.”