Woman is locked up for false rape claims

6:02am Saturday 17th February 2007

A WOMAN arrested at a rowdy house party cried rape in the hope of being released quicker from the police station.

Nicola Jane Irvine's false claim led to an innocent man, who had not even been at the party, being arrested in a dawn raid at his parents' home.

Durham Crown Court heard the man, who has no convictions, was held for eight hours at a police station, when he was photographed, finger-printed and gave a DNA sample.

Richard Cowen, prosecuting, said it was only as the man was being interviewed about the rape that Irvine revealed, in a simultaneous statement to police, that she made up the allegation.

Irvine, 28, of Barnard Castle, County Duham, was yesterday jailed for eight months, after Judge Richard Lowden said there had to be "an element of deterrence", to persuade others against making such claim

Mr Cowen said that on October 9, Irvine's boyfriend was arrested at a house party to celebrate a soldier's return from duty in Afghanistan.

"She remonstrated to an extent where she, too, was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and taken to the police station.

"While there, it was noted she was bleeding and a female officer asked if she needed assistance.

"It was at that stage that she alleged she had been raped earlier that night."

Mr Cowen said the man she named as being responsible was a former supermarket work colleague, whom she had not seen for some time.

When asked later why she made the allegation, Irvine told officers she thought it would result in her being allowed to leave the police station sooner.

"But, instead, it led to her being kept there much longer, as she was taken for a medical examination," said Mr Cowen.

Irvine admitted committing an act intending to pervert the course of justice.

Anne Richardson, for Irvine, said she is ashamed for behaving, "in such a totally unacceptable way".