Started by gwallan, Sep 21, 2007, 10:58 PM
Jailed, the serial liar who put two innocent men behind bars with her rape allegationsBy CHRIS BROOKELast updated at 01:11am on 22nd September 2007A woman who falsely claimed she had been raped by two men, causing them to spend time behind bars, has been jailed for eight months. Diane Berriman, 31, alleged she had been raped by a married pub landlord twice in the space of three years and also cried rape against another man. But police became suspicious and Berriman was prosecuted after they discovered she was a serial liar. Sentencing her at York Crown Court, Judge Paul Hoffman said her actions made it less likely that real rapists would be caught. "The wider implication is that true victims of sexual crime are treated with suspicion and justice is not achieved," he added. "These offences are so serious only an immediate sentence of custody can be justified." Berriman accused Paul Cook, a 54-year-old pub landlord, of raping her in 2004 and also cried rape against another man, Trevor Hirst, in the same year. Both alleged crimes were investigated and the men were held before being released without charge. Unfortunately, Mr Cook's ordeal did not end there. In February this year, Berriman accused Mr Cook of raping her in the Union pub in Norton, North Yorkshire. In just one evening in the pub, Berriman bombarded Mr Cook with 30 phone calls, forcing him and his wife to unplug the phone line. Early next morning, Mr Cook found Berriman asleep in the pub laundry. After he removed her, she went to the police claiming he had raped her. But officers became suspicious when they examined the complaint and her history of allegations. They arrested her and she confessed to inventing the sex attacks. Berriman, of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to two charges of perverting the course of justice and one of harassment. Ruth Cranidge, defending, said the former council employee had gone off the rails following the break-up of a relationship in 2004. Speaking after the case, Mr Cook said: "She used to come into the pub occasionally. To be honest, it's been going on for years and it's been a nightmare for both myself and my wife. We just want to forget about it now and put it all behind us." At present, alleged victims of serious sexual offences have the right to anonymity - but defendants do not. Campaigners say those accused of rape should not be named until they are convicted, pointing to a series of "cry rape" cases in recent years. In 2001, Neil and Christine Hamilton-were accused of rape by Nadine Milroy-Sloan, a trainee lecturer. The couple were questioned, but officers found the allegations had no substance whatsoever. Milroy-Sloan was convicted of perverting the course of justice in 2003 and jailed for three years. In January this year, the daughter of a church minister who made false allegations of rape against four men was jailed for two years. Abigail Gibson, 22, made the claims against a colleague, an ex-boyfriend, a stranger and even her father, Ian.
why bother BRIAN, I believe the streets will take care of Ms Mangum, why make the taxpayers bear the burden
