Norfolk man jailed for romance fraud
The offences relate to money and jewellery Robson took from two women he purported to be in relationships with in 2021 and 2023.
A Gorleston man who stole thousands of pounds from two women he was in relationships with has been jailed for four years and 10 months.
John Robson, 65, of no fixed address, appeared before Norwich Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 2 August 2024.
He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of theft, and four counts of fraud.
The offences relate to money and jewellery Robson took from two women he purported to be in relationships with in 2021 and 2023.
The court heard Robson was in a long-distance relationship with his first victim in 2021, during which time he pretended to be planning to move to Bournemouth to be closer to her.
Between April and June, he convinced her to send him 16 money transfers, as well as cash, totalling more than £7,000. He claimed it was to help with various fake moving costs, as well as travel following a family bereavement.
The victim went to the residential park Robson claimed he had moved to, when she became suspicious that he had not repaid any money. But the site manager had never heard of him, and she reported him to police.
Robson met his second victim on an online dating site in 2023 and began a relationship. After three months, he offered to take her gold jewellery to be cleaned but never returned it. The jewellery, which was mainly family heirlooms, was estimated to be worth £10,000.
Investigations revealed Robson had sold most of the items to a pawnbroker for £1,900. Officers recovered some pieces, while others have never been found.
He also borrowed £150 cash from the victim to buy a motorhome, which he never purchased.
PC David Moran said: “Robson is a serial romance fraudster. He is remorseless when it comes to seeking out vulnerable women online with the sole intention of making material gain out of them by any means possible, usually fraud or theft.
“The victims have lost family heirlooms that are irreplaceable, and their savings have been wiped clean by Robson. I commend their bravery for coming forward and helping secure this sentence to ensure he cannot target anyone else.”