Man faces trial over fake net dating profile

File photo / NZ Herald

The name of a Tauranga man accused of setting up an internet dating profile in his ex-partner's name, claiming she was available for sexual liaisons, can now be revealed.

Name suppression has lapsed for sales manager Carl Sisson, 46, of Bethlehem, who has denied one charge each of breach of a protection order and forgery.

Sisson was further remanded on bail when he appeared in Tauranga District Court yesterday for a judicial intervention hearing.

He was due to be committed to trial next week.

Police allege that on January 26 Sisson accessed the internet website NZDating.com and created a profile in the name of the complainant, which advertised her as someone seeking "lots of males" for sexual meetings in Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty.

It is alleged that as soon as the created profile went active with the woman's cellphone she began receiving calls from unknown men. Some of the calls were received while she was at work.

Police allege their inquiries with NZDating.com and Telecom established that the source of the profile was able to be traced back to Sisson's unique internet protocol address.

Every computer or device connected to the internet is assigned a unique identifying number known as an internet Protocol (IP) address and communications are traceable.