‘Does she love me? No. Is she capable of love? No’: my mother, the con artist

Graham Hornigold: ‘I wish she’d just been a normal mum.’ Photograph: Manuel Vazquez/The Guardian

In early 2020 life was sweet for Graham Hornigold. A pastry chef who has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and been a judge on Junior Bake Off, he had recently launched his own small chain of high-end doughnut shops and cafes in London, along with his partner, New Zealander Heather Kaniuk, also a pastry chef. They had a baby on the way, too – a chance for Hornigold to create the happy family unit he hadn’t experienced in his own childhood.

Then, out of the blue, dropped the email that would change his life. Hi Graham, I’m not sure if this is going to reach you as I’ve been searching for a way to contact you and found this email. My name’s Dionne, formerly known as Theresa … Graham was born in Germany before being taken away from me to England.