By Emmanuel Okogba
A woman who falsely accused 10 men she met on dating apps of rape has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after admitting to fabricating the allegations.
Stacey Sharples, 31, from Farnworth in Bolton, pleaded guilty at Bolton Crown Court to 10 counts of perverting the course of justice. Her false claims led to multiple arrests, police investigations, and intimate examinations, costing taxpayers an estimated £120,000 in wasted resources. None of the men she accused were charged.
Sharples even boasted to one victim, “I’ve got away with it. Yet again,” after police dropped charges.
Greater Manchester Police said pursuing Sharples as a suspect was a rare but necessary decision. Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland explained, “We took the allegations seriously, explored all lines of enquiry, and swiftly made arrests. Ultimately, as the evidence continued to demonstrate the reports were untrue, it was right that we pursued the individual who had actually committed a criminal offence.”
Several victims described the devastating impact of the false accusations. Reece Lockett said, “My life was turned upside down the day I was falsely accused. My parents disowned me, my partner left me, and I lost my job. I was constantly stressed and anxious, scared to walk around my own area because I felt labelled.”
Another victim, Connor Austen, added, “I lost my home, my partner, and my job. She ruined seven years of my life.”
Police emphasized that the case should not deter genuine victims from coming forward. “No officer goes into a rape investigation intending to pursue the person making the report. We want survivors to know they will be supported,” Gilliland said.
The men falsely accused continue to deal with lasting emotional and social consequences, but many expressed relief that justice has finally been served.
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