MUM WHO LIED ABOUT SEXUAL ASSAULT SPARED JAIL TO PROTECT HER CHILDREN
A woman from County Down who pleaded guilty to making false and malicious allegations regarding a sexual assault during a fabricated burglary was spared jail today (Fri).Judge Geoffrey Miller KC explained to Elizabeth Bates that although she clearly deserved imprisonment, legal guidelines required him to consider the wider impact of his decision on others.
Bates, aged 27, is the main caregiver for three young children, at least one of whom has medical needs, and there was evidence showing that her imprisonment would significantly harm her family.
The judge, addressing Bates in the dock, stated he found little sign of genuine remorse but decided to follow the recommendation of the probation service and impose an Enhanced Combination Order (ECO).
He emphasized that his decision was not based on sympathy, saying Bates, who admitted to lying, deserved a prison sentence.
Instead, he ordered her to perform 75 hours of community service and be on probation for two years.
Bates, from Lysander Park in Newtownards, previously admitted to three counts of perverting the course of justice on dates in August 2022.
The charges detail how Bates issued two false statements and one false report to police claiming she had been sexually assaulted.
In court today, Judge Miller outlined the case details, including Bates’ initial contact with police over threatening emails from a former partner.
She provided a formal statement after supplying her address.
Copies of the emails were presented to the court, which included explicit language from the sender, threatening and degrading Bates, and expressing desire for intimacy.
Bates then sent screenshots to authorities, and on August 26, made another statement with further allegations.
She claimed her son saw a “bad man” outside the back door, and later, after receiving a message from her ex-partner’s email address, she described an incident where two masked men supposedly broke in.
She reported that the intruders bound her with a ligature and assaulted her sexually, ripping off her top.
On August 30, Bates again claimed her child saw a “bad man” in the garden, followed by her receiving a Snapchat photo of her house.
Following her accusations, her former partner was detained, with his home searched and devices seized.
Police later found that the emails and messages originated from Bates’ own IP address.
When confronted, she could not explain why the emails were sent from her broadband and denied orchestrating the false reports.
Her phone was examined and proved to be used to create the communication accounts.
During an interview in August 2023, Bates admitted to sending the messages to herself.
Judge Miller highlighted that her lies had severely affected the victim’s life and work, with the innocent man being under police bail for ten months, his devices confiscated, and his employer informed of the investigation, causing him concern for his job.
Despite her admissions and acknowledgment of her fabricated story, the judge noted there was little remorse or regret.
Perverting justice is a grave offense, the judge stressed, threatening the integrity of fair legal processes vital to democratic society.
Bates had continued her false accusations even after initially lying, creating additional deceit.
Her actions also wasted police resources and time, which served to highlight the seriousness of her misconduct.
Defense lawyer Richard McConkey argued that given Bates’ personal circumstances and health issues, an alternative sentence could serve justice equally well.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Miller stated that despite her physical and psychological difficulties, she must now comply with her conditions.
He warned that any violation would result in her returning to court and potentially being sent to Hydebank prison.
