Identity deception ruined lives as a woman posed as men online, manipulating and emotionally abusing hundreds of women over years.
To most people, Abby was an accomplished and confident woman.
In her youth, she reached the finals of the Miss Scotland pageant.
Later, she became a flight attendant and traveled across the world.
At the end of 2014, Abby rushed back to her hometown of Kilmarnock after learning that her grandfather had suffered a stroke.
During this stressful time, she received a friend request on Facebook.
She had no idea that a single click would reshape the next decade of her life. 
The request came from a man named David Graham.
He claimed to be the doctor treating her grandfather.
His profile photo looked professional and charming, which lowered her guard.
A Profile That Felt Too Real
After accepting the request, Abby noticed that David’s account appeared genuine.
He shared photos with friends, images from hospital corridors, and videos featuring a young niece.
Everything suggested a stable and kind professional life.
One detail felt strange.
Abby’s mother told her she had never seen this doctor at the hospital.
Still, Abby dismissed the concern and moved on.
Around that time, Abby had formed a dance group and shared rehearsal videos online.
David soon messaged her with enthusiasm.
He claimed to be organizing a charity ball and wanted her group to perform.
Abby felt honored and shared the promotional material publicly.
Two days later, she received an anonymous warning.
It told her never to trust David Graham.
The First Crack in the Illusion
Uneasy, Abby contacted the event venue directly.
She was told that no charity ball had ever been scheduled.
Fear replaced confusion almost instantly.
Determined to uncover the truth, Abby began reaching out to other women online.
She asked if anyone else knew David Graham.
Eventually, she created a private group chat filled with women who had interacted with him.
One woman shared an odd experience.
David had once handed his phone to a female friend named Adele during a call.
The name felt familiar to Abby.
She searched online and found a photo of Adele.
Recognition struck immediately.
Adele was the nurse who worked in her grandfather’s hospital ward.
One Identity Falls Apart
The pieces finally aligned.
There was no doctor named David Graham.
The person behind the account was a nurse named Adele Renney.
She had stolen photos and videos from Instagram.
She used them to construct a male persona and flirt with women online.
The realization left Abby feeling physically sick.
In late 2014, Abby contacted the hospital to report the deception.
When her claims were dismissed, she went to the police.
After hours of questioning, she was told no crime had technically occurred.
Impersonation alone was not illegal without fraud or direct threats.
Frustrated, Abby took matters into her own hands.
She publicly exposed the fake identity online.
Messages poured in.
Many women shared similar stories.
Some experiences were far worse than Abby’s.
A Pattern of Emotional Control
Investigations later revealed the scale of the deception.
Adele was one of Scotland’s most prolific online romance offenders.
More than one hundred women had been targeted.
Some victims were pressured into sending intimate images.
Others were threatened when they tried to cut contact.
One woman named Samantha stood out among the accounts.
Samantha’s Story
In 2015, Samantha received a friend request from David.
Their conversations escalated quickly.
He showered her with compliments and affection.
Soon, he began sending gifts.
Flowers arrived every few weeks.
They were always delivered by the same florist named Ashley.
Ashley praised David and described him as a devoted man.
Despite this reassurance, Samantha felt something was wrong.
David always avoided meeting in person.
He called her daily, sometimes for hours.
If Samantha failed to reply quickly, his mood shifted.
Anger replaced affection without warning.
Eventually, David agreed to meet at a concert.
Samantha arrived to find only Ashley waiting.
David never appeared.
Later that night, he called with excuses.
Samantha knew the truth was closer than ever.
The Final Revelation
Samantha devised a plan.
She asked David to deliver a birthday gift to her mother’s home.
Her mother noted the car involved.
Days later, Samantha spotted the same red Vauxhall Corsa near a hospital.
She called David as the driver stepped out.
A woman answered the call.
It was Ashley.
Her real name was Adele Renney.
She had been using voice changing software.
The shock was overwhelming.
Arrests and Repeated Offenses
In November 2015, police arrested Adele following further reports.
She pleaded guilty to multiple charges.
These included indecent communication, sexual coercion, and stalking.
In December 2017, she received a prison sentence of twenty two months.
She was added to the sex offenders register for ten years.
More victims came forward after her conviction.
She was released in 2018.
Within months, she returned to online deception.
This time, she posed as a wealthy lawyer.
In 2019, she was imprisoned again for fraud.
Victims believed the punishment never matched the harm.
Attempts at Redemption
During later incarceration, Adele spoke about her childhood.
She described domestic violence at home.
Her father died by suicide when she was six.
Her mother expressed deep shame and sorrow.
She said she no longer recognized her daughter.
In March of this year, Adele was released once more.
She publicly apologized for her actions.
She claimed to have received mental health treatment.
She admitted projecting her pain onto others.
She expressed regret for the suffering she caused.
A Fear That Never Fully Ends
For Abby, the story never truly closed.
In October 2023, another woman contacted her.
She showed her a profile named Callum.
The face was identical to David’s.
Abby issued a public warning immediately.
The next day, Adele called her directly.
Later proof confirmed the deception had continued.
A video from a London concert showed Adele dancing in the crowd.
Ten days after her release last November, Adele was arrested again.
She had violated court restrictions by contacting victims.
She was returned to prison with additional time added.
A Quiet Hope for Closure
Abby has since rebuilt her life.
She has children and has not heard from Adele for years.
Still, the fear never disappears completely.
She believes true healing will only come when the deception finally stops.
Prison alone, she says, is not enough.
