Viswa Vanapalli
‘The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman,’ the latest true-crime offering from Netflix, features a stunning story about a conman, Robert Freegard, who defrauded several people out of their money. The three-part docuseries also focuses on Sandra Clifton, an English woman who began dating a man named David Hendy, who, in reality, was Robert. Her children, Jake and Sophie Clifton, are featured on the show and talk about how that relationship led to them losing their mother. So, let’s find out more about what happened then, shall we?
Who Are Jake and Sophie Clifton?
Sandra Clifton met Mark when they were still in school, and they married a few years later. Sophie arrived first, with Jake following suit. While Sandra and Mark drifted apart over time, they remained good friends, and the children lived with Sandra at the time. In November 2011, Sandra met David Hendy through an online dating website, marking the start of what would become a harrowing few years for Jake and Sophie.
To Sandra’s children, David’s behavior often struck as odd. They talked about how he would refrain from mentioning his last name or showing them his passport during a vacation to Spain. Not too long after the couple began dating, David moved in with Sandra and the kids, and that was when things got worse for Jake and Sophie. On the show, Jake talked about an incident where David had metal plates added to his heel until he learned to walk correctly.
Later on, Jake kept getting locked out of the home, eventually leading him to move out and start living with his father. Sophie also remembered feeling brainwashed by David, and she had cut contact with Jake and Mark for a while. She further stated on the show that David asked her to pay rent if she were to live in the house, with most of her earnings as a hairdresser’s apprentice going towards that. Sophie also mentioned withdrawing money from her savings account and giving it to David. Not too long after that, even Sophie moved out, first living on her own before contacting Jake and Mark.
Where Are Jake and Sophie Clifton Now?
By 2014, Robert and Sandra moved out of their home, and the family had no idea where they went. Jake and Sophie had some conversations with their mother over the years, but on the show, Jake felt that what Sandra said was scripted. Sophie stated, “My mum has been trained, controlled, to do whatever Freegard wants her to say and do.” Jake also talked of seeing Sandra through a virtual court proceeding regarding the rights to Sandra’s parents’ home. As per the show, Jake hoped to place it in a trust to keep it away from Robert. However, it didn’t turn out that way. While their exact whereabouts are unclear, Jake and Sophie seem to live in England and have remained hopeful of tracking down their mother.
Read More: Where is Robert Freegard Now?
