Accuser and victim: Stacey Challoner, left, falsely accused John Mulholland of raping her after the two had consensual sex during a one-night stand. She was trying to divert the anger of her violent boyfriend

Manchester Crown Court heard Challoner of Moorfield Avenue, Denton, had told her long-term boyfriend she had been raped by Mr Mullholland after he suspected she had been cheating on him.

The mother-of-three broke down and confessed she had made up the rape and has since claimed to have produced a child due to the encounter with the victim.

Mr Mullholland later told police he’d been subjected to a hate campaign and considered killing himself.

He had been referred to as a rapist in the area and locals had spat at him in the street.

He has had to have CCTV fitted and he is considering moving away. His marriage is now under threat.

Challoner admitted perverting the course of justice.

Passing sentence, Judge Iain Hamilton told Challoner: “An allegation of rape is one which is very easy to make and can be difficult for anybody who is falsely accused to refute.

“Rape is a very serious offence and those who are accused of rape are often vilified or shunned by friends or acquaintances within their community.

“The reason that you made the allegation was to dispel any suspicion that your partner had that you had been unfaithful to him. The allegation you made is of such seriousness that any person should be put off making such a false allegation.

“Mr Mullholland is a married man with two children and the facts of the allegation created significant difficulties in his marriage.

“According to his statement, he even reached a stage where he had considered suicide. All these consequences came from the lie that you told.”

Daily Mail 

While I am considering notions of justice and appropriate punishments for breaches of the law I come across this little snippet and although I am glad to see that this silly young woman has gone to jail I have some reservations about the length of her sentence. I will concede that it is better than nothing. I still stand by my thoughts on this question that I covered in an earlier post  about another case though.

Cheers Comrades

😉