Woman made false rape claim
A woman who cried rape after a night of kinky sex with an ex-boyfriend was convicted of trying to pervert the course of justice.
During the sex session Tracy Knowles had been tied to a four poster bed by Alex Warren.
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Tracy Knowles
Mr Warren told the court she consented to everything – but the next day Knowles complained to her current boyfriend, another friend and her parents that she had been raped.
Her father, a Ministry of Defence policeman in Bristol, then called police and Mr Warren was arrested and spent 22 hours in custody.
At the end of a three-day trial the jury convicted Knowles by a majority of 11 to 1 of making a false allegation of rape with intent to pervert the course of justice between June 15-18 last year.
Judge Martin Picton told Knowles it was a very serious offence made worse for her by fighting the case.
The court heard she had previously had three cautions for theft.
The judge adjourned sentence so that a probation report could be prepared on Knowles and bailed her to reappear for sentence on July 27 this year.
Knowles, formerly of Beverstone Road, South Cerney, Cirencester, but now living in Bristol where she manages a charity shop, said she genuinely believed she had been raped.
Prosecutor Lisa Hennessy had told how, before the incident, Knowles and Mr Warren had previously been in a relationship but had not seen each other for about six months.
They had met in a Cirencester bar and had then gone back to Mr Warren's house. But the next morning, after leaving his house, she made the rape allegation to several people including her parents – who called the police.
Mr Warren had ended the earlier relationship with Knowles after a few months, Ms Hennessy had said.
But they had begun communicating again through social networking websites shortly before they met up last June and she had gone willingly to his house that night, she said.
In evidence, Knowles admitted to the jury she had 'over-exaggerated a bit.'
She told the trial that on the night she met Mr Warren in BarCode she got 'extremely drunk' and although she went back to his home with him she did not want sex.
She told the jury: "I just wanted to be friends. I didn't want anything like that to happen."
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by steve, Chicago IL
Saturday, July 11 2009, 4:19PM
“I was falsely accused of raping someone when I was in high school by someone who was trying to get back at at my family. The mother made the girl make the accusations. IT was horrible and I still suffer because of it. For 2 years, while this was in the court, I though I was going to jail. Every time the phone rang or the door bell rang I thought it was the police getting ready to take me away. While all my family believed me, the police and lawyers believed I was guilty and they made sure I knew that. So much for being innocent until proven guilty. I took took and passed a lie detector test and finally her story fell apart. When and where she claimed it happened proved to be untrue. I was out of the country when she said it happened and we did not live in the town she claimed it happend (she said it happened at our house)
Even now I suffer from the effects. I don't trust anyone. I am terrified of ever going through something like that again. The few women I have had relationships since that time have all complained that I am not affectionate, that I never initiate any intimacy. I am so scared that if I do someone will say I attempted to rape them I have to wait until my girlfriend initiates the intimacy. For the most part, I always need to have someone with me when I am around a woman so I can have someone to back me up if any claims of inappropriate behavior arises. Even normal human contact like touching someone's arm or shaking hands I cannot do.
So for those of you that state it is not that bad for someone to be falsely accused, let me assure you it is. It is a misreable, lonley existance.”
by Gloucester Girl, Gloucester
Friday, July 03 2009, 3:30PM
“I was raped by an ex and he got away with it wheres the justice in that!!!!
I had medical evidence n more!
I had to have a operation due to wat the scum done to me.
im still goin thru side effects from the rape.
On the Jury there was more men than women.
I have to live now no'in he is out there and he can do it to someone else..
Its up to the CPS wether it goes to court or not.. If they have enough evidence they will send it to court!
People like her give us people that have been raped harder time in court wining..
It makes me so sick n upset that she can do that! she needs to be locked up!
My case was in this paper..”
by Pierce Harlan, Philadelpia, US
Thursday, July 02 2009, 5:10PM
“Chelt, kindly show me where I have been abusive to women. In addition, when you say I
"cannot really have anything of merit to say about a highley emotive and unresolved issue." Under what authority is it unresolved? Why can't we talk FACTS instead of just attacking ME? It is NOT unresolved. For you to say that denigrates countless falsely accused men and boys.”
by Pierce Harlan, Philadelphia, US
Thursday, July 02 2009, 4:58PM
“I never made the blanket statement that "being falsely accused of rape is worse than actually being raped." Each case is different. Some men and boys falsely accused of rape have been beaten and killed and have killed themselves; they¿ve been fired from their jobs and lost their businesses; they¿ve suffered from depression; they¿ve lost their wives, their girlfriends and have been permanently alienated from their friends. Rarely do they ever come out of it whole, and for many, the ghost of a false rape claim trails them for the rest of their lives.”
by J, Chelt'.
Thursday, July 02 2009, 3:55PM
“Pierce
Copied and pasted from your original statement:-
"I promise you that this man's suffering was at least as great as, and likely greater than, the suffering of many rape victims."”