Who Is Adele Rennie: Horrifying Details Behind Scotland's 'Most Prolific Catfish'

Adele Rennie is believed to be Scotland's most prolific catfish — a label earned not through a single deception, but through more than a decade of sustained online stalking, manipulation and repeated re-offending.

Her case is examined in the BBC documentary The Beauty Queen and the Catfish, which traces how an ordinary Facebook friend request led to one of the UK's most disturbing catfishing sagas.

How the Deception Began

The case surfaced in late 2014 when Abbie Draper, then a Miss Scotland finalist, received a Facebook request from a man calling himself 'David Graham,' who claimed to be her grandfather's doctor. His profile appeared authentic, complete with hospital photos and personal updates.

Suspicions arose when inconsistencies emerged — including confirmation that no such doctor existed. Draper's efforts to uncover the truth eventually linked the account to Rennie, a nurse who had worked on the same hospital ward as Draper's grandfather.

As more women came forward, investigators identified a clear pattern. Rennie created multiple male aliases — including David Graham, Matthew Mancini and others — to form romantic relationships online. Victims described constant messaging, emotional dependency, gifts such as flowers, and escalating pressure to stay in contact.

Some women were persuaded to send intimate images, which were later used as leverage if they attempted to cut ties. Rennie also relied on a voice-altering application to convincingly impersonate a man during phone calls.

Convictions — And Why They Didn't Stop Her

Rennie was first jailed in 2017 after pleading guilty to multiple charges including stalking, indecent communication and sexual coercion. She was placed on the sex offenders register and given non-harassment orders banning contact with victims.

Despite this, she reoffended. Further convictions followed in 2019 and again in 2024 after investigators traced new dating profiles back to her — even while she was subject to court-ordered restrictions.

Court documents revealed that Rennie stored a victim's phone number under a false male name in her phone, allowing her to contact the woman while attempting to disguise a breach of a non-harassment order.

She was returned to prison after sending a message just ten days after her release — prompting prosecutors to warn that the behaviour demonstrated a refusal to comply with safeguards designed to protect victims.

Attempts to Understand the Behaviour

In the documentary, Rennie's mother described a childhood marked by domestic abuse and the suicide of Rennie's father when she was six — circumstances Rennie later addressed through psychological support in prison.

Cyber-psychology expert Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton said early trauma can be a contributing factor in catfishing behaviour, but stressed it does not excuse sustained harm to others.

Is the Case Finally Over?

Rennie, who is due for release this March, issued a statement through the documentary apologising to victims and accepting responsibility. She said prison-based psychological services had helped her confront the behaviour that drove her offending.

For those affected, closure remains uncertain.

'Prison doesn't give us closure,' Draper said. 'It just puts a pause on things. People are only going to get closure when Adele stops.'

The Beauty Queen and the Catfish airs on BBC Scotland and BBC Three and is available on BBC iPlayer.