Woman dupes friends into thinking she's in bizarre four-year 'relationship' - with man she didn't know

15/18

1 day ago

Knicks player Charles Oakley exchanges words with a security guard during the first half of Wednesday's Clippers-Knicks game in New York.

Reasons for Charles Oakley’s outburst emerge

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Sharp posted photos of her fantasy life on Twitter, telling pals she was to marry (Photo: Daily Record) A woman faked a four-year relationship with a man she did not know and even told pals they were engaged.
The bizarre ruse by Jill Sharp saw her create an imaginary life using images taken from another couple she found online.
And she even shadowed Graham McQuet and his real fiancée Marianne Stirling so she could be pictured in places they had visited.
Sharp then posted photos of her fantasy life on Twitter, telling pals they were to marry.
But her suspicious friends tracked down Graham and Marianne just days ago and tipped them off. He didn’t have a clue Sharp even existed.
The horrified couple went to police, who have now launched an investigation.
Sharp, from Airdrie, has kept up her double life since she created a boyfriend and spun tales about him to real-life friends in her local pub, reported the Daily Record .

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: Daily Record The 31-year-old, who claims to work in mental health, told pals she had met a man named Graham and trotted out stories of their romance.
Soon she was posting loved-up images on social media sites. She set up a fake Twitter account for her “boyfriend” and sent romantic messages between them.
A pal said: “Her posts were all champagne and flowers and how wonderful a life she was living with Graham.
“Whenever anyone asked when we were getting to meet him there was always an excuse. He was working, he’d hurt himself, he was ill – and on it went.
Credits: Daily Record

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: Daily Record “She was leading this incredible life on social media but no one had seen her with him and it was just plain strange.”
Sharp then told her friends online and in her local pub that Graham had proposed and they were marrying later this year.
But pals spotted mistakes in her pictures which led them to believe they were fake.
One said: “She put up a picture claiming they were having a weekend away in London but the two images were completely different. It was obvious it had been taken on a different day.
“In her picture, supposedly taken by Graham, the ground is light and there’s no one else in the frame. In his photo the ground looks wet and there’s crowds mingling.
Credits: Daily Record

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: Daily Record “What we didn’t know then was the real Graham and his real-life fiancée had been in London and Jill had then retraced their footsteps a month or so later to take the picture. It was totally creepy.
“So we started looking at her other images and it was evident in some of them they had been photoshopped.”
Friends tracked down the real Graham and he said he’d never heard of Sharp, who lives with her parents in Airdrie.
Sharp, who has denied the allegations, is said to have stolen Graham’s pictures from his Facebook account. In some cases, she edited out Marianne.
Credits: Daily Record

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: Daily Record Both her Twitter accounts have been deleted. She has a new profile.
Last night, Graham, 31, declined to comment but he previously tweeted: “I’m apparently getting married to her in June? First I knew.”
But a close friend said: “It appears this woman followed them down to London, visited the same places, took photos, then photoshopped them. It’s astonishing behaviour. Graham has no idea who this woman is. Maybe there is a reason she picked him, he doesn’t know.
“They only found out about it at the weekend.”
The friend revealed Graham and his fiancée had reported Sharp to police but had been told no action could be taken.
Marianne, 33, also declined to comment. But a close friend said the couple reported the activity to Cumbernauld police. They said: “It’s outrageous what this woman has done to them.
Credits: Daily Record

© Provided by Trinity Mirror Plc Credits: Daily Record “The police have told them that no criminal activity has taken place, apparently she’s allowed to impersonate whoever she wants to
impersonate. The police just weren’t interested.” After being contacted by the Record, police are taking a fresh look.
Officers are understood to have visited Graham and Marianne and taken further statements from them.
A police spokeswoman said: “Advice was provided to the complainers on the initial information that was given. Further inquiries are ongoing.”
Sharp denied any knowledge of the matter, saying: “I don’t know what this is about.”
She asked us to come back to her with proof.
When we tried to contact her to discuss our evidence and called at her home, she was not available for comment.
How to know you're in the right relationship

Slide 1 of 21

Full Screen

1/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

There are a million signs to know if something's wrong in a relationship, but how do you know when it's right? Click through to find out some signs that will help you find out if you're going in the right direction.

2/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

Visualizing the future

When you visualize the future, you see your partner as an important part of it … and you like that! You both envision a shared vision for the future and are enthusiastic about it.

3/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

Friends and family

Friends and family will always want the best for you. If you get positive feedback about your relationship from them, it’s usually a tell-tale sign that this is a relationship for keeps.

4/21 SLIDES © LJM Photo/Design Pics/Design Pics/Corbis

Complete trust

You have a promising relationship if you vanquish second thoughts of where it’s headed or if there’s someone else out there for you. In fact, if you’ve reached a stage where you trust each other completely then you’re most definitely ready for a milestone in your relationship.

5/21 SLIDES © Dirk Lindner/cultura/Corbis

Compromise

Compromise doesn’t seem like a bad word anymore. You’ve started to realize that you both will always have to work out your issues and reach an amicable solution.

6/21 SLIDES © Burger/phanie/Phanie Sarl/Corbis

Money talks

When you and your partner can talk finances frankly, and openly discuss your monetary strengths and limitations, it's a sign that you've come a long way in your relationship.

7/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

At ease with each other

When simple, everyday activities such as grocery shopping, cooking, or watching your favorite sitcom lying on the couch become enjoyable, it’s a sure sign that you’re in the right relationship.

8/21 SLIDES © Andrew Rich/Getty Images

Comfortable with imperfections

If over the years you’ve become comfortable with your partner’s silly imperfections, dreams and life choices then you could be heading for a life-long commitment towards your partner.

9/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

Confidence in each other

You are confident about each other’s feelings toward one another. There’s no constant need to display your affection or the urge to check up on each other.

10/21 SLIDES © Rex Images

Fighting it right

Quarrels are a part-and-parcel of relationships. However, when a couple argues to find a common ground, respecting the other person’s viewpoint, it’s a sign of a healthy relationship.

11/21 SLIDES © Getty Images

No awkward silences

When you realize the days of small talk are over, that's a pointer towards the kind of relationship you share with your partner. Sharing silences, be it during a long walk, lying in bed, or working together, means you have a meaningful relationship.

12/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

Long-term plans

If you’re comfortable making long-term plans, such as leasing an apartment, with your partner without a hint of doubt, it shows the level of confidence you have in each other.

13/21 SLIDES © Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend Images/Corbis

Bringing out the best

If your partner brings out the best in you, s/he is probably the best person to spend your life with.

14/21 SLIDES © Jamie Grill/Tetra Images/Corbis

First thought

When your partner is the first person that comes to your mind when there’s any important news — good or bad — and vice-versa, chances are that you both are meant for each other.

15/21 SLIDES © Rex Features

For better, for worse

Being a couple means sticking around through thick and thin. If you have seen each other in the worst of times, at his/her most vulnerable moments, it shows the deep bond that you both share. If seeing the worst doesn’t bother you, you definitely have a long future together.

Me vs. us time

Being in love doesn’t mean you need to remain conjoined at all times. When you both love to spend quality time with one another, without invading one another’s individual space, you have a bond to cherish.

Magic phrases

“I love you,” “Thank you,” and “I’m sorry” — when both partners use them as and when required, a blissful relationship is in the cards.

Looking forward

If you have moved past the stage of being curious about your ex and have no desire to dwell in the past, it means you are truly happy in your present relationship.

Sexual compatibility

It goes without saying that physical intimacy is a significant factor. If you can share your deepest desires and strange fantasies without any hesitation, trust that you are in a near-perfect relationship.

Number one

Who you list as your emergency contact can be a great sign. If you have listed each other as your respective emergency contact, chances are that you value them enough to be your true partner.

Wedding interest

A right relationship doesn’t necessarily mean marriage. However, if you have started admiring people’s engagement rings or wedding bands, randomly stopping in front of wedding studios, and flipping through wedding magazines, you are definitely inclined toward matrimony.

21/21 SLIDES