Scorned Sheffield man 'set up fake Facebook dating profile in ex's name'
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Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard on September 24 how Mark Gaynor, aged 41, of Albert Road, Heeley, Sheffield, felt so upset after he and his ex-partner’s relationship ended so abruptly that he set up a fake Facebook dating profile in his ex’s name.
Chantel Lowry-Green, prosecuting, said the complainant saw that Gaynor had created the Facebook profile using pictures from his real Facebook page and Gaynor also sent a Valentine’s card suggestung they were still in a relationship.
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Hide AdMs Lowry-Green added: “The defendant admitted he did it to create a rift between his ex-partner and his ex-partner’s new partner because he felt scorned by how the relationship had ended.”
The complainant said he does not feel safe when he goes out and the harassment has made his new partner feel that he cannot trust him.
IT worker Gaynor pleaded guilty to causing harassment between August, 2019, and March, 2020.
Pari Seeley, defending, said Gaynor’s relationship had ended abruptly and someone initially set up a Facebook profile in the defendant’s name and Gaynor was getting abuse and he believed it must have been his ex-partner so he responded in a “tit-for-tat scenario”.
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Hide AdShe added Gaynor was very apologetic and he did not want to cause distress of a serious nature.
Magistrates fined Gaynor £300 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.