Girl jailed over rape claims
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by Paul Hooper
A 20-year-old girl has been jailed for two years... after
falsely accusing two men of raping her.
Kelly Atkins - who was 18 at the time - claimed she was attacked
by her boyfriend Wayne Maddox and his best pal Ricky Lambert.
But a jury at Canterbury Crown Court decided her allegations
were a tissue of lies - and convicted her of perverting the course
of justice.
Judge Adele Williams: "Rape is a repulsive crime but making
false allegations of rape is a dreadful crime."
She told Atkins, of Boleyn Avenue, Margate that her claims had
resulted in the two men being arrested in front of their
families.
They were then held in custody for 12 hours and ordered to
undergo "humiliating and degrading" examinations - one of them
described it as: "The most uncomfortable experience of my
life".
The judge said that Wayne and Ricky were totally innocent but
had been held in cells "until your lies were exposed".
She said making false allegations of rape "undermined public
confidence" in the judicial system and "allows doubt to creep in
where none should exist."
Atkins had been convicted at a second trial after the first jury
failed to agree on a verdict.
But the judge said Atkins - who sat passively in the dock - had
been convicted on "clear and compelling evidence".
She added: "I have seen and watched you give evidence and I
conclude that you are a manipulative young woman".
She said Atkins - who had planned to join the army - had
harassed her ex-boyfriend which had then culminated with the rape
allegations.
Her barrister James Bloomer handed in a number of references on
Atkins' behalf.
He said they claimed she was a "pleasant and decent young woman
in the general run of things."
Wednesday, December 07 2011
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