Please help me with my juvenile stupidity

[owlflight]

Last week, I discovered my partner had been using a massage service and keeping it from me. It cost hundreds of pounds when we have been saving very hard for our house deposit. I felt very upset and decieved, especially when he said that it wasn't a secret and that many of friends knew he had been going, but now he said that he had stopped. Stupidly I bought a payg sim phone and began to send him anonymous what's up and text messages to him, advertising the service from the website, to see if he really was still interested. They were all taken from the website, advertising their services, although some of the wording was slightly more suggestive in tone. I wish to god that I never done anything so stupid, because ofcourse none of the 10 or so messages were invited, he saw it as harrasement and went to the police with them. Our relationship has since ended, which although upsetting is the best course of action for both of us. However now I am sick with fear that the police will trace the messages back to me. It would be very easy to do so, also who else would have been bothered to send them in the first place. When he asked me if I had sent them or knew who had, ofcourse I lied and said no.I have never ever ever done anything like this before, or been in any sort of trouble with the law. He didn't tell me what course of action the police would take and I didn't ask. We have not been in contact since and there are no plans in the future to ever have contact again, apart from the sorting out the money over the house deposit, and occasional visits to my daughter who he has become very close to him.
Does anyone who works for the police know if they will go to the phone provider and ask for the IMEI number GPS location etc. I cannot stress how much I wish I had never done anything like this. Please I cannot speak about this to anyone, because they will think I am completely mad, which I think I was at the time. Should I go to the police and confess, I cannot sleep or eat for fear and worry. Please any advice would be a lifeline for me.

OP, my take on this is that he has someone in Liverpool, an ow, and used the massage parlour as an excuse, probably never used it for any purpose other than hide his tracks. He knew you had sent the messages because he had never used the massage parlour. I know the police are unable to trace that phone back to you, and they have bigger fish to fry and will not be spending time on this even if you ex had reported it, but how daft would your ex look going to the police with that “problem”. They would advice him to go home and stop wasting their time. Or they would have advised him to contact the parlour himself and sort it out. The numerous cold calling, messaging that does get reported to the police does not get any time unless putting the receiver in very serious danger, he never went to the police just like he never used the parlour. There was definitely something going on and i would say it was someone else. Even if you handed yourself in to the police, rekusticslly, what do you think they royals go? And what round you say! “I am handing myself in, It was me” ??? Stop torturing yourself and please he does sound very manipulative, why would you want your daughter around that?

My phone hates me, it was meant to read, realistically what do you think they would do,

For god sake OP, get a grip! The police are not going to knock on your door. They have more pressing things to deal with. Even if they did, you'd just be told not to do it again.

Hi, digital forensics for police here.

PP's are right. 10 messages does not constitute harassment.

If the police had the resources, they could track the IMEI and iccid (SIM Id) which, if it was registered, would bring you up as a person of interest.
However, for them to do this, they would need the messages from his phone and he would have to allow his phone to be downloaded.
The cost implications would not get this approved for forensic work.

This isn't going anywhere. You can relax.

My handbag was stolen out my car on my drive in October. I have my dash cam footage and my cctv from my house. The police said they’ll come and collected it eventually. Nothing yet.
My cards were used in places that have cctv and for home deliveries and take aways. So the police know who did it, when where and how and they don’t have time to come and get it all.
I was refunded my money by the bank so I’ve let it go but that is more serious and definitely a crime, unlike what you are talking about.
Your ex is a pig, who is living his life happy and free. It’s about time you did the same. Close the book on this time in your life.

Dear all, many many thanks for all your support and advice. I still know what I did was a stupid reaction and could count as harassment and a police investigation. But it was in response to something truly devastating to find out in my life. I'm also sorry to hear about all the incidents of people truly experiencing crime and harassment and not being able to get the support and help that they need. Thing is if you met my ex partner, he can be extremely convincing and I truly believed that I was going to be charged with harassment. I realise now that the service is very stretched and that it was another way to control me, even though I know, I should never have sent the messages in the first place. To know that there is a community out here is incredibly moving, thank you again everyone for your words of strength and sense, thank you.

Op this is really horrible he’s made you feel like this. I hope you get some real life support. It must have been awful thinking you could be arrested at any minute. As yet stupidity isn’t illegal.
Also totally understandable what you did, if not a great decision.

I'm curious, if she bought the phone with cash then they wouldn't be able to trace the phone back to her. Are you required to give personal information when you buy a phone? Or does the service provider store the location associated with every phone call on some huge database?

No it was a genuine massage service which he said he has stopped going to because he got no pleasure from it.

OP you must have believed, at some level, he was buying sex or you wouldn't have reacted like you did. Its good to hear though you've sorted this all out and can put it behind you.

You've been through the mill with this sad, pathetic excuse of a man. Do you have a close friend in RL you can have a good talk with? A cry? Lots of wine and chocolate?

Go easy on yourself. You're not the dreadful criminal the man has led you to believe you are.

Well typing Inna Merseyside review seems to bring up UK punting as result