Victim of Serial Fraudster Warns He Will Reoffend After Prison Release
A mother whose life was "made hell" by a prolific fraudster known as the "Casanova Conman" has issued a stark warning that he will strike again following his release from prison. Carol-Anne Board, 61, was left homeless with her children after shameless David Coombs spun an elaborate lie about a rental property, part of a decades-long pattern of deception.
A Web of Deception and Betrayal
Coombs, 60, has accumulated 23 convictions throughout his criminal career, leading a life of fantasy and betrayal that once saw him abscond to Russia, pocket tens of thousands of pounds from women, and boast of having 227 sexual partners. He was sentenced to four years in jail for multiple fraud offences in 2017, with his sentence extended in 2020 after he fled the country.
Miss Board told the Daily Mail: "He picked on the wrong woman when he picked on me. He’ll definitely show his face around now, because he thinks he’s invincible. But he’ll be back in prison soon. He’ll do it again. I know for a fact that he will. This is all he knows."
How the Scam Unfolded
The mother of four, now based in Gibraltar, came into contact with Coombs through her work as a hypnotherapist in Poole, Dorset. A friend and patient of hers was approached by Coombs while on a hospital ward, where he boasted about being a property developer in the exclusive Sandbanks area.
He convinced Miss Board the property would be a "fantastic place for the children" and she gave him £500 for a deposit. However, the keys never materialised, leaving her with nowhere to live with her two sons.
"He came across as a kind man. A very kind, caring, confident, wanted to help, genuine," she recalled. "He kept saying to me, I’ll give you the keys today. It was the same thing every week. Towards the end, I had nowhere to live with my two boys."
A Pattern of Predatory Behaviour
Miss Board's case was just the tip of the iceberg. Coombs was first prosecuted in 1982 and had even been deported from Norway for targeting vulnerable women. Among his crimes was swindling £37,000 from women he met on dating sites, including tricking a victim into paying a £4,237 bill at the five-star Claridge's hotel in London.
When Dorset Police began investigating, Miss Board stepped forward with crucial evidence, including an anonymous dossier detailing further fraud claims. "Somebody posted an anonymous letter through my letterbox," she said. "I gave this to the police. I know a lot of people now want this man."
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Southampton Crown Court in 2017, Coombs admitted nine counts of fraud against victims aged 49-83, including a woman in a mental health unit he defrauded of £7,500. Judge Peter Ralls QC described him as a "conman who uses people as and when you can, regardless of the effect on them."
Miss Board testified against him, telling the court: "This is what he did to me. He has made my life hell." He received a six-year sentence, reduced by a third for pleading guilty.
Parole Board Rejection and Release
Coombs featured in a BBC documentary series about the parole process in February 2023, where he claimed to have "low confidence" that compelled him to pursue crime. Despite his claims of reform, the parole board decided not to release him, concluding he was capable of "really very serious, abusive behaviour."
However, the Daily Mail can reveal that Coombs was automatically released at the end of his sentence in February 2023. A Prison Service spokesman confirmed: "We can confirm that David Coombs was released at the end of his sentence."
Victim's Ongoing Concerns
Miss Board remains convinced Coombs will reoffend. "The six years he was given is a pittance. He only served a fraction of that," she said. "I said to the parole board he’s going to do this again, he’s a conman. He’ll be back inside again soon. I’ll go to court and stand up against him. He will get jailed again, 100%, I can guarantee you."
She also highlighted the challenges victims face in coming forward: "Women will not come forward and say what he’s done purely because they’re embarrassed. They know for well they should not have done it and they want it all to go away."
