Melanie Graham believed she had found the person she would spend the rest of her life with. Within weeks of their wedding she found out her husband was one of Britain's most prolific romance fraudsters with more than 50 convictions and a long history of deceiving women out of their money and their trust.
Mel, 52, a mother of two who runs her own business, met the man she knew as Ray Owens in January 2024. He was funny and relaxed and told her he worked demanding night shifts as a probation officer. He said his mother had recently died. His supposed daughter sent Mel warm text messages. His father sent what appeared to be a welcoming note to the family. Friends and relatives who met him approved. Within weeks he proposed and she accepted.
