Julia Cross’ attempt to use Twitter and Facebook to find the mysterious stranger with whom she enjoyed a brief but perfect flirtation beneath the Mediterranean stars ended in disappointment.
Julia Cross, 33, finally found her Prince Charming Martin, but he came forward to say: “Sorry, but I’ve got a girlfriend!”
It seems that PR consultant Julia Cross from UK might just have had a lucky escape, as Martin, the object of her affections, is a party-loving lad with a distinct eye for the ladies.
Julia Cross became obsessed with her mystery man after a brief encounter in an Ibiza nightclub in September.
They shared a kiss as they watched the sun come up – but lost contact because she mistakenly gave him the wrong phone number.
She frequently lamented the lost opportunity in the ensuing months, prompting her friends to launch a determined campaign to track down the man.
Julia Cross knew him only as Martin, a software developer working in North London and originally from Maidenhead.
The mystery hit the headlines around the world – but was solved yesterday when Martin O’Kane came forward to admit he was the man from the nightclub Space.
Martin O’Kane first broke cover when he tweeted: “Deal with this tomorrow … Cheers Julia! Hope your [sic] well.”
Martin then sent an email to the “Find Martin” Facebook campaign in which he said he was “flattered” by the attempts to track him down but revealed he was already taken.
He confessed he got back together with an ex-girlfriend after his holiday in Ibiza.
It seems that Julia Cross isn’t the first attractive girl to catch his eye, if the photographs on his Facebook page are anything to go by. Martin O’Kane is pictured with a string of good-looking girls, often with drink in hand.
Other shots display distinctly laddish tendencies, such as posing in heavy metal gear, grappling with a friend at a “flat destruction party” – and fashioning a lewd sculpture out of snow on a trip to the Alps.
In his email identifying himself, Martin O’Kane wrote: “I have to say I found this all hilarious and I’m obviously very flattered! I hope Julia isn’t too embarrassed by some of the negative comments.”
Martin said he had tried to get in contact with Julia after their holiday encounter, but was thwarted by the wrong number.
He wrote: “So about a week or so after I got back from Ibiza I dropped Julia a message but got no response. Didn’t really think too much more about it as these things happen. I guess it’s possible I took the number wrong.”
Martin added: “I’m definitely not married!” – but added that one of his friends might have given Julia’s pals the wrong idea.
He wrote: “Caroline (my friend whose wedding I was at in Ibiza) has told me that she’s been in contact with you via email to confirm it’s me. She also mentioned that she said I was single.
“Unfortunately this isn’t the case. I’ve just started seeing an ex-girlfriend again. (I hadn’t told Caroline this as I suspected that she’d probably disapprove!)
“Weirdly enough I actually thought I saw Julia in Clapham Old Town last Friday when I was on my way to The Sun [a pub].
“I have to say, it was a really good night in Space, some funny moments including stumbling around in the sea and swallowing lots of sea water, and chilling on the beach with my friends after sunrise. I had a fan-tastic time.”
In a subsequent email, Martin O’Kane discloses some information about the couple’s meeting to prove that he was the man they were looking for.
Martin wrote: “I know that Julia is part Mohican which she told me after I asked about her tattoo.
“I initially thought she was pronouncing Mexico like “me-hi-co” which produced a bit of confusion.”
Martin went on to reveal that his own girlfriend was being as understanding as possible in the circumstances. He wrote: “She already feels a bit odd that there’s a national campaign to set me up with someone else.”
Julia Cross friends’ search had divided opinion on Twitter and has been described as both “brilliant’ and “desperate”.
The Facebook page Julia Cross’ friends set up had stated: “This campaign has been set up to FIND MARTIN, lovely bloke my friend Julia met in Space in Ibiza in the summer of 2011.
“She accidentally gave him the wrong telephone number and has been lamenting <<what if>> ever since.
“This is what we know about Martin: Works for a software development company in Camden; is originally from Maidenhead; was in Ibiza for a friend’s wedding and was partying that night wearing a cycling helmet with glow sticks coming out of it.
“Please help us reunite Martin and Julia!!!!!!! Spread the word xxxx.”
Julia should have been more discreet and used itiggy.com to try to find him. It’s a website that lets people find a person that they had an encounter with but were too afraid to approach or who’s name or number they can’t recall.