Romance fraudster who conned ex-partner out of £70k jailed
Andrew Camfield's victim says she is still trying to rebuild her life
Last updated 9th Jun 2023
A woman defrauded of £70,000 by her former partner from Eastbourne says the fraud made her feel like a fool - and that she's still trying to rebuild her life.
59-year-old Andrew Camfield of Lansdowne Terrace has been jailed for five years for fraud by false representation.
His victim, Louise, was first introduced to Camfield by a close friend at Christmas in 2018 and the pair began what Sussex Police called an 'intense' relationship.
Camfield began to ask for financial assistance from the following February, using false promises and manipulation to exploit Louise financially over a period of more than three years.
Louise was forced to borrow money from her own family to meet his demands when her own money ran low. Camfield had claimed to be due a large inheritance, but this never materialised.
Louise’s son was the first to raise concerns to police that his mother was being defrauded by Camfield, leading to a large investigation which led to him being charged last June.
He pleaded guilty to the offence at trial on 27 March.
At sentencing, Her Honour Judge Kelly said:
"This was a prolonged and sophisticated fraud – you engaged in a relationship, you deceived Louise through elaborate lies defrauding her out of a significant amount of money. You lied throughout the relationship making up elaborate lies stringing her along. This was a truly callous and calculated set of actions which breached her trust.”
Louise said:
"I was so in love with Andrew I didn’t see any warning signs or red flags.
"With hindsight, if only I had confided in my close friends about the financial aspect of the relationship sooner, perhaps things would have been different.
"It’s not only the financial devastation, but the emotional heartache I’ve suffered and the ongoing lack of trust I now experience, alongside feelings of being judged for my perceived naivety."
Louise is now receiving ongoing emotional support from Victim Support’s Vulnerable Fraud Caseworkers, paid for by Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne, to rebuild her confidence, relationships, and trust to move forward from the devastation she has suffered in the past few years.
Bernadette Lawrie, Sussex Police’s Financial Abuse Safeguarding Officer, and Operation Signature lead, said:
"It is incredibly brave of Louise to come forward and share her experiences with others, as victims all too often feel ashamed and embarrassed, blaming themselves for the actions of these heartless and ruthless criminals.
“By opening up about the impact of the fraud it is hoped that others may identify with the situation and seek support or realise this may be happening to someone close to them.”