Fraud by Misrepresentation Uncovered
Helen (left) and Joanne were able to meet for the first time after David Griffiths pleaded guilty to defrauding them by misrepresentation.
David Griffiths portrayed himself as a wealthy pilot, a former Army major who had served alongside Prince Harry, and a man possessing over half a million pounds in cash. These claims were fabricated as part of his scheme to extract thousands of pounds from two women he met through dating apps.
Following his sentencing to three-and-a-half years in prison for two counts of fraud by misrepresentation, victims Joanne Brandon-Hodgkinson and Helen Moorefield have spoken out in hopes of warning others.
"He groomed me to have sex to get financial gain for himself," said Helen.
"I believe this man has done this to other women, I do not believe we're the only ones."
Griffiths, 52, from Malvern in Worcestershire, admitted to defrauding Joanne of £4,500 and Helen of £10,178.42.
Joanne's Experience: An 11-Month Relationship
Joanne Brandon-Hodgkinson, an NHS director from New Inn, Torfaen, met Griffiths on the dating app Hinge in August 2022.
"He was, I thought, quite handsome, he was tall, he was terribly well educated, and he knew a lot about a lot,"said the 56-year-old.
Griffiths shared stories of a distinguished Army career and claimed to be working as operations director for a helicopter company in London's Canary Wharf. Later, he said he had changed jobs to become a search and rescue pilot for Bristow Helicopters at RAF Saint Athan in south Wales.
"Our lives revolved around his shift pattern, so for two weeks of every month I didn't see Dave,"Joanne recalled.
"I am now convinced that during that period he was probably living a separate life with somebody else."
Joanne noticed early warning signs, such as Griffiths frequently not having his bank cards when payments were needed. When he began his new job and experienced delays in pay, she loaned him money for clothes and a smartwatch.
They planned an exclusive holiday with extended family to Dubai and Thailand. Griffiths said he would book it, and Joanne reimbursed him for her share, trusting the booking reference and itineraries he provided.
Exposure of Lies Through Property Purchase
Griffiths' deception began to unravel when he agreed to purchase a £650,000 house in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, to be closer to work. He presented himself as a cash buyer, claiming to have sold a farmhouse in Oxfordshire, and engaged a builder, architect, and kitchen-maker during the sale process.
He and Joanne visited the property multiple times, including attending the homeowner Amanda Sarll's retirement party and meeting neighbors.
The sale collapsed after a relative of Griffiths discovered the conveyancing paperwork and alerted the estate agent, revealing his fraudulent history. Amanda Sarll then informed Joanne of Griffiths' true identity.
"You have a wave of panic set over you,"Joanne said, recalling the phone call.
"The first thing I did was phone the police and I phoned my bank."
Joanne also contacted the holiday company, which confirmed the booking reference was invalid.
"After that, that's when the humiliation hit me - I really didn't want to be the person that this had happened to, I didn't want to be a victim of a fraud and a fraudster."
When confronted, Griffiths initially denied the allegations before admitting to lying due to feelings of inadequacy. Joanne ended the relationship in July 2023.
Helen's Experience: Meeting Griffiths on Bumble
Just over a month later, Griffiths met Helen Moorefield on the dating app Bumble in August 2023.
"He was very charismatic, we had really good conversations… we never argued,"said Helen, a business owner from South Gloucestershire.
Helen began to fall in love as Griffiths shared photos and stories of his Army life, including claims of flying with Prince Harry and being shot down in a helicopter.
"He showed me pictures of his Army life,"Helen said.
"He explained to me he flew in the Army with Prince Harry… that he'd been shot down in one of his helicopters."
As the relationship progressed, Griffiths became increasingly unreliable, frequently canceling plans. He gave excuses such as his sister's death or his son's car crash. He often misplaced his bank cards, leaving Helen to cover expenses.
Griffiths claimed to have booked an exclusive safari holiday, for which Helen reimbursed him. Suspicion arose when Helen's son applied for Clare's Law to check for any history of abusive offending, leading to the discovery of Griffiths' fraud record.
"My whole world came crashing down,"Helen recalled.
"I feel embarrassed... I feel violated, I feel coerced, I feel like he's groomed me."
Sentencing and Reflections on the Crime
Griffiths was sentenced for fraud by misrepresentation on Wednesday. Both women expressed that the sentence did not fully reflect the extent of their experiences.
"I feel very strongly that this is more than fraud,"Joanne said.
"Whilst I gave my consent to a sexual relationship, had I known what I know now, I would never have done that, and I think it's really important that the Sexual Offenses Act has that provision written into it.
"I think it's a violation of trust and a confidence in a relationship - and that should be seen as a crime as well."
Both women have since had the money defrauded from them reimbursed by their banks.
Verification of Griffiths' Claims
The Ministry of Defence informed the BBC that Griffiths had only served in the Territorial Army, now known as the Army Reserve, and was formerly an Army Cadet Force volunteer.
Bristow Helicopters, which operates the search and rescue base at MOD St Athan, confirmed they have no record of Griffiths as an employee.
Police Handling of the Cases
Both Joanne and Helen expressed dissatisfaction with the police response. Joanne reported poor communication and felt her case was not always taken seriously due to its classification as a romance fraud.
Gwent Police stated that Joanne provided her initial account on 9 July 2023, and Griffiths gave two voluntary interviews on 18 December 2024 and 6 January 2025.
"For a period during the investigation into David Griffiths, there was lapse in communication with one of the victims and a written apology was issued,"a spokeswoman said.
"It investigated all reports of fraud, including romance fraud, thoroughly and hoped the successful conviction of Griffiths demonstrated that 'anyone coming forward to report will be taken seriously'."
Helen described enduring hours of questioning and facilitating information exchange between police forces.
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police, which initially handled Helen's case before transferring it to Gwent Police, said:
"We're sorry for any additional frustration and distress caused during the lengthy investigation. We are always trying to improve the service we offer to people who are targeted by these heartless fraudsters."
Victims' Perspectives on Shame and Accountability
Both women addressed public perceptions about their awareness of Griffiths' deceit, rejecting feelings of shame.
"You feel ashamed in the beginning but I don't feel ashamed anymore,"Joanne stated.
"He is the perpetrator... he infiltrated my life and my family and my finances. He should be the one that should feel the shame, not me."
