WOMAN JAILED FOR FALSE RAPE CLAIM THAT LEFT NEIGHBOR SUICIDAL
A woman has been imprisoned after falsely claiming that her blind neighbour raped her a deception that led to the neighbour experiencing suicidal thoughts.Jade Wass faced a two-year jail sentence in Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to charges of perverting the course of justice.
The court detailed that on July 8, 2020, Wass contacted police alleging she had been attacked and raped by a neighbour while she was camping outside a residence in Teesside.
Prosecutor Richard Bennett stated that Wass claimed she was sleeping in a tent alongside her boyfriend when she was awoken by a man, identified as Mr X, who was straddling her.
Wass further alleged that he made a threatening gesture and attacked her..
The court was told that Mr X is registered blind and often stays indoors because of his poor eyesight.
Additionally, he had a hand injury that limited his mobility.
Evidence from police investigation in January 2021 confirmed that the report was false, which led to Wass’s arrest.
Despite her insistence during questioning, forensic tests such as swabs found no connection to Mr X, and CCTV footage placed her with her partner at the relevant time.
The false accusation deeply affected Mr X, who suffers from mental health problems and was vulnerable.
He described the emotional consequences: 'Being called a rapist is one of the worst things that can happen.
I had suicidal thoughts because of these false charges not because I was guilty, because I am innocent but because the false allegations destroyed my life, mental health, and wellbeing.
I feared losing my relationship with my son, and this ordeal almost broke me.' The background of the case showed Wass had endured a traumatic upbringing, acted out of character, and was assessed as a low risk of reoffending.
Her legal team argued her intention was simply to deter Mr X, and that she was suffering from paranoia at the time.
The judge sentenced her to two years in prison and ordered a restraining order to prevent contact with Mr X.
