A HUSBAND and wife were both jailed for nine months at Chelmsford Crown Court today, Monday March 22, after pleading guilty to making a false rape allegation in Maldon.
Mark Noble , 45, and his wife Elaine, 43, of Mundon Road, Maldon, were charged with perverting the course of justice after she claimed that she had been raped in the town on October 17 last year..
Detectives carried out an investigation into the allegation and an 18-year-old man from the town was arrested as part of their enquiries. But he was released without any charge 10 days later.
Mark and Elaine Noble were arrested on November 13 and subsequently charged.
Investigating officer, Dc Alison Cotter said after the hearing: “Every time a false allegation of rape is made it heightens the difficulty for those women who have been the victims of this horrendous crime.
“These two people have carried out a gross disservice to every genuine victim of a sexual offence. An innocent suspect was arrested and had to go through the ordeal of being held in custody and undergoing a medical examination that is intrusive and personal.
“He has had to endure the stigma of being suspected of a serious offence, only to be cleared of a crime he knew he had not committed. Detectives spent many hours of police time on this investigation while they could have been employed dealing with genuine cases.
“When a person makes a false allegation of rape, knowing at the time it is false, but continues to mislead the police then we will investigate this false complaint and gather sufficient evidence to prosecute them.”