Woman jailed for false rape claim

A woman who told police three men raped her because she regretted sleeping with them has been jailed for two years.

Rosie Dodd, 20, claimed the men, aged 21, 23 and 25, assaulted her at an address in Clifton, Nottinghamshire, last June. She told police the men raped her after she went back to a house with them after meeting them on a night out in Nottingham.

She later admitted to police the sex was consensual and she lied because she regretted sleeping with them.

Dodd, of North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, was charged with perverting the course of justice. She was jailed for two years at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday after admitting the charge at an earlier hearing, said Nottinghamshire Police.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Gina Farrell, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We take every report of rape and sexual assault extremely seriously, just as we did in this case. But it soon became apparent that there were inconsistencies with Dodd's account.

"The three men accused of rape were quite badly affected by the damaging accusations and Dodd has never shown an ounce of remorse for what she put them through. The time our specially trained officers spent with her could have been spent with someone who really needed our help."

Detective Inspector Stephen Waldram, head of the city rape investigation team, said: "People lie that they've been raped for a multitude of reasons - like having regrets about having sex with a person, or as a way of getting back at someone.

"There is no justification for lying about something so serious and incredibly damaging and police actively investigate a false claim just as thoroughly as a genuine one to ensure innocent people are not convicted for something they didn't do.

"It's important to stress that anyone who contacts us to say they have been assaulted will be treated with the sensitivity and respect they deserve. It can be incredibly difficult for victims of rape to come forward to police and tell us what's happened to them, which is why it's so important for us to prosecute those who take up our time by lying to us.

"I would urge genuine victims to come forward and tell us if they have been raped or sexually assaulted. Only then can we begin to bring those responsible to justice. And I would remind anyone considering making a false report to think again. We carry out extremely thorough and in-depth investigations and their lies will be exposed."