British man admits he set up bogus lesbian profile for ex-girlfriend on dating website out of spite

Craig Steel, 53, posted revealing photos of woman on website claiming she was gay seeking a relationship with a woman

He claims after moving ex-fiancée over from Hungary to UK and setting her up in business, she dumped him,  so he set out for revenge

He admitted setting up profile, sentenced to 12-month community service plus $146 fine

A jilted boyfriend set up a bogus lesbian dating profile to take revenge on his ex-fiancée after she dumped him. Craig Steel, 53, posted revealing photos of the woman on the website – falsely claiming she was gay and seeking a relationship.
His victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was Hungarian and the couple had met on a different internet dating site.
They enjoyed several holidays abroad together and Birmingham Magistrates’ Court today heard Steel, of Selly Oak, eventually proposed during one trip to Tenerife.
He then paid for her to come to the UK last May where they shared a rented flat.
The prosecutor, said: “Everything was fine for the first month but after that the defendant became angry towards her because she was still using the dating site.
“This caused arguments between them and the complainant agreed to delete her account.
“Despite that he became more controlling and jealous and she found out he was a secret drinker, finding stashes of alcohol around the house.”
The court was also told the girlfriend started work as a chiropodist and massage therapist and her daughter later came to live with the couple in Birmingham – which became a source of friction.
She eventually left Steel and changed her mobile, although he managed to find out her new number and sent texts and messages.
Then in January, the court heard, she began to receive “unusual” messages – and received a call from another woman who claimed her profile featured on a lesbian dating site.
It included revealing pictures of her dressed in her underwear – photos Steel had taken when they were still a couple.Miss Greaves said Steel was later interviewed by police and added: “He accepted he set up the profile after she left him and that he had done it out of spite.”
Steel was sentenced to a 12 month community order and ordered to pay £100 compensation after previously admitting harassment.
District Judge Rebecca Crane also granted a restraining order, banning Steel from contacting the victim or going to her address.
She said: “I give you credit for your guilty plea but this was controlling, jealous and abusive behaviour for which there is no excuse.”
The defense pled mitigating circumstances stating that the victim “had been in difficult circumstances” and their client helped her out.
“He paid for a nice holiday and he paid for her to leave Hungary and set up a home for her.
“She then set up what he believes to be some sort of massage parlour within the home.
“Following an argument he returned home and everything had been taken, even food from the fridge.
“In anger his response was to set up the website.”
She said the photos used had been taken from the victim’s own Facebook site and were not of a “pornographic” nature.