Aidan Sinclair

Aidan Sinclair, a 61-year-old man from Greenhithe in Kent, has a history of serious sexual offences committed under his previous name, Gary Cawthorne. In 2013, Cawthorne was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl. This was followed by a more severe conviction in 2016, when he was sentenced to over four years in prison for grooming and then sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. As a result of these offences, he was placed on the sex offenders register. Between 2014 and 2020, he was jailed multiple times for failing to comply with the restrictions imposed on him.

Despite this criminal history, Sinclair changed his name by deed poll, allowing him to obtain new identification documents such as a passport and driving licence. This name change enabled him to evade detection of his past convictions. Prior to his fraud activities, Sinclair had worked as a Metropolitan Police officer, which may have contributed to his ability to appear credible to victims.

Between 2020 and 2022, Sinclair targeted three victims, including a neighbour named Shana, by posing as a wealthy businessman. He forged bank statements, contracts, and other documents to gain their trust. In Shana's case, when she expressed interest in buying property, Sinclair claimed he was purchasing a multi-million-pound property and offered to help her secure a mortgage. Shana, who performs ID checks in her job, verified his passport, driving licence, and bills, which all appeared legitimate. Online searches for 'Aidan Sinclair' revealed no criminal history, leading her to lend him £18,000 over time, citing various fabricated reasons for needing the funds. Some of this amount was later reimbursed by her banks.

Sinclair pleaded guilty to multiple fraud offences and was sentenced to three years and two months in prison in October 2024 at a court in Kent. Detective Constable James Burr from Kent Police described Sinclair as 'very convincing' in his scams, noting that victims found no record of his offending under his new name. Shana expressed feeling in 'real danger' upon learning of his sexual offender status, stating, 'This is a safeguarding issue. We have dangerous people who can reinvent themselves and wipe the slate clean, and that's exactly what Sinclair did.'

The case has highlighted concerns about registered sex offenders changing names to avoid detection. Campaigners and Labour MP Sarah Champion have called for bans on such practices, with the government announcing legislation to restrict sex offenders' name changes. The Ministry of Justice requires offenders on licence to notify probation services of name changes, with failure leading to breach of licence and potential recall to custody. The Disclosure and Barring Service emphasises that applicants must disclose all previous names, with deliberate omissions liable for prosecution. Kent Police investigated the fraud, confirming Sinclair's dual identity and past convictions through BBC South East's investigations.