Love Bombed, WifeHunter, 1. Hit by a train

Love Bombed

WifeHunter

1. Hit by a train

13 February 2026

24 minutes

Available for over a year

Vicky Pattison meets Caroline, who lost her home after matching with prolific romance fraudster Raymond McDonald on a dating site.

McDonald was posing as Mark Swift, a stressed-out chef with a seriously ill daughter. Within six months he had proposed, emptied Caroline’s bank account and left her with suspected PTSD.

Caroline was in court when McDonald was sent to prison for defrauding her and three other women.

Left to rebuild her life, she assumed he’d learnt his lesson - she’s about to find out just how wrong she was.

Love Bombed: WifeHunter presented by Vicky Pattison.

Writer and Producer: Jane Downs and Barney Rowntree.

Investigative reporter: Philippa Goymer.

Story Consultant: Barney Rowntree.

Sound designer: Kasel Kundola.

Online Producer: Rachael Smith.

Executive Producer: Dan Farthing (BBC Investigations NE & Cumbria).

Commissioning Editor: Alistair Miskin.

Lovebombed was made at BBC Radio Newcastle for BBC Sounds.

Visit bbc.co.uk/actionline for help and support on issues raised in this series.


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