A ROMANCE fraudster posed as an Army veteran who flew with Prince Harry to swindle two women out of more than £14,500.
David Griffiths, 52, targeted two professional women in a “cold and calculated” scam to steal money from them after meeting on dating apps.
David Griffiths, pictured, claimed he had flown in the Army with Prince Harry Credit: WNS
Joanne Brandon-Hodgkinson, seen here with Griffiths. fell victim to the conman’s lies Credit: WNS
A court heard Griffiths told a web of lies to impress the victims including that he had served in the Air Army Corps and had a job as a search and rescue pilot.
But the alarm was raised after he swindled thousands of pounds from them between July 2022 and May 2024.
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He asked the women to invest in businesses, holidays or properties with him before fleecing them of thousands.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the victims felt they “won’t be able to trust again” after they were conned by the romance fraudster.
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Victim Helen Moorefield used Clare’s Law to uncover the lies told to her by Griffiths Credit: WNS
Griffiths told the women a web of lies, including that he had flown in the Army with Prince Harry, seen here in 2012 Credit: AP
Prosecutor David Pinnell said Griffiths lied “about his occupation, his wealth, his military past and his future and past purchase of properties”.
The frauds were carried out on one woman in Pontypool, South Wales, and another near Bristol – costing them £4,500 and £10,178.14.
Victim Helen Moorefield said: “He groomed me to have sex to get financial gain for himself.”
“I believe this man has done this to other women, I do not believe we’re the only ones.”
Businesswoman Helen, 57, said: “He showed me pictures of his Army life.
“He explained to me he flew in the Army with Prince Harry… that he’d been shot down in one of his helicopters.”
But Helen later began to become suspicious at Griffiths’ excuses for never having money despite his claimed wealth and used Clare’s Law to uncover he had previous conviction for fraud.
Fellow victim Joanne Brandon-Hodgkinson said Griffiths told her of his fictional Army career and claimed he earned £120,000-a-year as an operations director for a helicopter company in London’s Canary Wharf.
But months into their relationship he claimed he had a new job at RAF St Athan and could not meet her due to shift patterns.
“I am now convinced that during that period he was probably living a separate life with somebody else.” she said.
Griffiths, of Castlemorton, Malvern, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud.
Judge Paul Hobson told him you “simply didn’t care” about your victims as you told “whopping lies”.
Griffiths will face a proceeds of crime hearing on November 23.
