A “LOVE rat” at the centre of a poster campaign across Southampton has admitted his mistake and said sorry.

The Romeo broke his silence for the first time and spoke to the Daily Echo after two women, who discovered he was seeing them both at the same time, plastered more than 150 warning notices around the city.

On the same day his car was splashed with paint stripper.

Now Paul Marshall has revealed his identity in a bid to put an end to the public hate crusade.

The 40-year-old grandfather, of Millbrook, said: “I know I’ve done wrong, I know I’ve lied, I know I’ve been deceitful and I know I’ve hurt people. I do not feel good about that and unfortunately now I’ve had a reality check so I don’t do that again.”

The security driver was in a relationship with shop manager Lisa Hennessy, 44, of Itchen, for eight months but he was also caught up in a relationship with his ex-girlfriend.

Paul said: “There are no reasons or excuses for it, I suppose just me not being able to say no and not being able to finish one thing before I started the other. At no point did I have three on the go. The third woman is my first love who I am still friends with.

“I was trying to leave the other relationship behind to be with Lisa and hadn’t seen her towards the final months but the past caught up with me.”

When the two strangers rumbled him on New Year’s Day through Facebook, they launched their ultimate revenge plot telling women to beware and Lisa even got a police caution for harassment.

The father of two and grandfather of one saw the posters outside his home, work and local area minutes after he found his Rover covered in paint stripper.

The notices read: “Ladies beware of this man. He looks nice doesn’t he, don’t be fooled by his appearance. He is a womaniser of the worst kind. He charms his way into women’s lives only to string several different women along at the same time.”

Paul said: “At first you feel angry and upset but the reality kicks in. Some people will say I deserve it and I can live with that but things have snowballed out of control and blown out of proportion and I have had enough punishment. Now it is time to stop.

"What is going to happen next? Am I going to walk outside and there will be someone there with a baseball bat which could happen if someone doesn’t understand and thinks they would be doing women a favour. I do not drink, smoke, gamble and I would never raise a hand to anyone.”

Lisa and Paul both admitted they ticked each other’s boxes when they were in a relationship.

Lisa, said: “I couldn’t have wished to meet a more charming man. We even talked about one day getting married and having a Disney wedding. It was an absolutely perfect relationship.

“When I found out my whole world caved in. It turns out he wasn’t my Prince Charming but an ugly toad.”

Paul has pledged to stay single for a while and when he does meet his love match he promises to be open to avoid a similar mess.

He said: “The person I was when I was with Lisa or whoever wasn’t any different to what I am like. I am the same warm, friendly, funny person. That has never changed.”