DP's friend sent photographs of me to DP to infer I am cheating

[WhiteJoshsBiceps]

Please bear with me, this is a weird situation. It's so childish that I feel daft writing this but I needed an outlet for my frustrations.
I'm really angry so I'm sorry if this is all garbled, I've tried to put it in some kind of order.

DP's friend - Jon - has always hated me and has always been convinced that I would cheat on DP.

Jon has recently moved into our neighbourhood.

Last weekend, I had a PT session in my local park (now Jon's local park too). My PT is martial arts so has quite a bit more contact than other PT activities. I mean, its not just a bloke shouting instructions from 2m away while you lift weights or do star jumps. It involves body contact, touching each other, being close etc.

I didn't know at the time but Jon saw me having my PT session. And he took photographs of it which he has now sent to DP with messages asking DP if he was happy with me behaving like that with a young male model (my PT is also a part-time model).

DP's at work but has sent me screenshots of what Jon has sent with a jokey message. Then he sent a follow up message saying it was a shit thing for Jon to do but that I look great 🤗

So DP's clearly not bothered. And he needn't be. There's nothing going on with my PT. I do absolutely love my PT for all kinds of reasons, and me and DP have a running joke about my PT being basically a perfect man. Me and PT have a great relationship for all kinds of reasons but there's absolutely nothing sexual going on.

But I'm absolutely livid. I can't complain too much about him taking photographs because we were in public. But he's clearly sent DP ones that could be misread (where me and PT are very close, touching, one where he's got his arm round my shoulders) and is trying to infer I'm doing something wrong. I'm not. And if I was, would I really do it in my local park? I know everyone in the park because I walk the dog there, I go for coffee at the cafe regularly with friends and I do PT in there. Not exactly the most discreet place for a quick bunk-up.

I plan to stay the fuck out of it, to let DP talk to Jon, to stay dignified, stay quiet. If I contact Jon, he'll read my anger as guilt. I will do. This is the right thing to do isn't it?

Thanks for reading, I just really to let off steam.

@WhiteJoshsBiceps fair enough, I’m sure your DP would defend you but he shouldn’t have to.

Jon’s intentions to screw you over and plant ideas don’t sit right with me either, sinister even. Has he his own life, partner etc?

Does Jon have a job? Any other friends? How weird to think of him existing amongst us....either he is so odd he GENUINELY thought you were cheating....in which case texting the photos wasn't a nice way of handling it...or he knows it's misinterpretation.

I bet he had to work through 100s of images to get the 'incriminating' ones.

What did he think would happen? That your partner would dump you without a conversation? Then what??

He's had this obsession for years it sounds like!

I am sorry but I don't think he is going to take being ditched as a friend at all well....

I can't complain too much about him taking photographs because we were in public.
Just to say, I think you absolutely CAN complain about him taking your photo in public. It wasn't an innocent photo of a park that you happen to be in, it's a deliberate misrepresentation of you in order to try stir up trouble

I'd laugh and next time I saw John suggest he really fancied my DP and then keep laughing, like every time he glanced my way.

Any more of this behaviour and I would be looking at involving the police and getting a restraining order. Who in the name of God does he think he is? God?

Your DP needs to reply to Jon and say “more concerned about you taking secret pictures of my partner in public. You’ve over stepped mate”

Jon's single. He was in a relationship for ages, maybe 10 years even. I still felt like Jon hated me throughout this time but he became a little bit more of a normal human. But then they split up and he's gone back to being a bit of a weirdo again.

He's got a job, yes.

I'm not sure has too many other friends. Him and DP are both quite solitary and insular people so neither has a big circle of friends. That's why I think they get on - they meet up a few times a year, nothing massive, no pressure to continually do things IYKWIM.

I'm dubious about the OP giving him the benefit of the doubt with 'Jon just happened to move here and just happened to see me working out,' as well. Maybe. Pretty convenient, though.

Screen shot one of the photos he sent to your DH along with DH comments that you look great. Send it to Jon suggesting he too could benefit from some gym lessons. Then hell know DH has told you. Also say if he spies on you anymore you'll have him reported for stalking.

Jon needs to be blocked by both of you and cut out of your lives.

He has stalked you and I imagine the hatred of you is in fact the opposite and that he is attracted to you.

Sorry if I go quiet, am in meetings and then sorting food etc. I'll drop back to the thread later.

Thanks again so much for all your replies so far.

Is Jon gay and trying to split you and DP up so he can make a move on him?

All the stuff about how you love your PT and he's the perfect man is a bit weird.

There could be a number of reasons for it - he has a crush on you or your DP for example. Nothing excuses it and I don’t think you can afford not to confront him, because if you don’t, or you try to make light of it, it’ll just continue. I would tackle him together with your DP and make it clear that you’re onto his attempt to split you up - the little shit obviously hasn’t thought it through or he’d realise it’s batshit to think you’d cheat on your DP in public, in a local park where most people know you !! Tell him he has no right to judge you no matter what’s in your past and that along with him taking the time to find out where you work this is stalker behaviour and that if it happens again you’ll call the police. I would expect your DP to step up and give him an ultimatum to get his head from up his arse or lose the friendship.

Not sure. I thought Jon was gay when we first met but he's had female partners

Are you in the UK, OP?

The police won’t be interested if you're in the UK as you can photograph anyone in a public place, provided you're not outside a school or zooming into someone's private space

Yep, in the UK

You could let your fit as fuck instructor know that wimpy Jon has taken photos of him and give him Jon’s address! 😈

So you're doing Martial Arts in the cold and (usually) wet, as it has been for weeks & weeks

PT is a really calm, placid person so not sure he'd take the bait. Dammit.

They may not be interested now, but it depends on what he does next - the fact that he found out where the OP works rings alarm bells. But yeah, going on past evidence the police don’t get involved until someone gets hurt !!

Jon needs the be told, by your dp, that his actions are weird, stalkerish behaviour that neither you nor he will tolerate. Cease and desist or dp, who has received the messages and pictures, will report him to the police.

This. With bells on. Jon is a twat of the highest order

Yep.

We don't meet up when its torrential but if its not raining, we training.

This is what I hear.