A solicitor is being investigated by his employer after his ex-lover embarked on a media blitz when she discovered that he was married and had lied about his identity. 

44-year-old Anna Rowe dated the man, who called himself 'Antony Ray', after he contacted her on Tinder in 2015. But after six months during which he visited her home in Kent two or three times a week, Rowe said, he vanished, telling Rowe that his mother had cancer and he had to look after her. Over the following weeks he made more excuses.

Rowe grew suspicious and found out, like so many before her, that Ray was still active on Tinder. When she ran Ray's Tinder profile photos through reverse image search on Google, she discovered somewhat belatedly that they were not of him, and that he'd been using pictures of Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan instead. She dug further and discovered that Ray, who told her he was a businessman who worked in aviation, was actually a married in-house lawyer employed by a London airport, and that 'Antony Ray' was a fake name. Rowe confronted him about his deceit and ended the relationship.

When the police told Rowe there was nothing they could do, she went public, losing her job as a teaching assistant as a result. As well as appearing on talk shows and giving interviews to the papers, she started a petition calling on the government to outlaw "creating fake online profiles for sex". It has attracted over 40,000 signatures from people who agree that 'catfishing' should become a crime, and Rowe told RollOnFriday that so far nine women have contacted her claiming that 'Ray' fooled them, too.

The fake profile, a closer likeness, and Rowe.

Rowe also went to the SRA, which told her that as 'Ray’'s dating profile did not state that he was a solicitor his actions "cannot be said to affect the public’s trust and confidence in him as a solicitor or in the provisions of legal services". Speaking to RollOnFriday, Rowe said she told the SRA earlier this week, "If being a compulsive pathological liar who fakes a complete identity to use women doesn't call [fitness to practise] into question, what does?" She also told the regulator that 'Ray' could have opened himself up to blackmail. An SRA spokesman said, "We are reviewing Mrs Rowe's concerns in the light of the additional information provided, and will take any further evidence into account". Although God help the profession if a righteous love life becomes a requirement for entry. 

'Ray' is also under investigation by his employers as a result of his ex-girlfriend's fury. A spokesman for the airport said it was "aware of allegations against a member of staff and is actively looking into the matter. We will not comment any further until enquiries have concluded". Perhaps 'Ray' should have told her he was dead.