An offshore firm worker who told police she was gang-raped at her home in a north-east village has been jailed after admitting she made the whole thing up.
Kim Dent claimed four men barged into her house, tied her down and tore off her clothes.
Her claims led to a major police investigation which lasted for six weeks, involved a team of 10 officers and cost the force more than £15,000.
Yesterday, 45-year-old Dent appeared at Peterhead Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of wasting police time. She was jailed for six months.
Sheriff Marion McDonald told her: “A substantial amount of money has been spent investigating this incident. Making allegations of rape against individuals is a very serious offence.
“You had four opportunities to put this right, but you only admitted this when you faced being charged by police.”
The sheriff added: “I have considered all of the circumstances in this case, but there is no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Fiscal depute Saima Rasheed said Dent contacted the police on June 12 last year.
She said the gang of four had turned up at her then-home in Cuminestown’s Plane Trees the night before and subjected her to a harrowing sex attack.
“She made an allegation of rape against four males, two of whom lived in the village,” said Ms Rasheed. “The others were unidentified.
“She said they had broken into her home and had tied her down, ripped her clothing and raped her.”
Ms Rasheed said the cost of the police probe into Dent’s claims totalled £15,200.
But Dent’s story began to fall apart when investigators uncovered several discrepancies.
The court heard that a medical examination had found traces of only her partner’s DNA, but none from other men.
Forensics experts also said her clothes had been carefully cut before they were torn.
She was interviewed by police on August 22 and initially stuck to her original claims.
But when she was presented with the evidence against her, she admitted she had lied.
Dent, who worked for oilfield services company Schlumberger, told officers she was drunk at the time.
Her agent, solicitor Gail Wiggins, said Dent, whose address was given in court papers as 3 Mains of Esslemont Cottages, Ellon, had been living in the village on her own after the collapse of her second marriage.
She said that Dent’s home had been vandalised on several occasions following a row with a neighbour.
“She reported this to police who advised her to keep a log of the problems she was having,” she said.
Ms Wiggins said that four young men did turn up on her doorstep unannounced.
They called her a “grass” and threatened her, but did not rape her.
“They told her she would be taught a lesson,” she said. “Miss Dent reported the matter to police the following morning. She explained what had happened, but she went on to say far more than what actually happened.”
On July 5, Dent went to police in Inverurie and asked them not to take the investigation any further.
“She thought that would be enough to stop matters,” said Ms Wiggins.
“Miss Dent is utterly appalled and ashamed by her behaviour and she understands the stresses that her actions have put on others.”
Ms Wiggins asked the sheriff not to jail her client, but instead impose a community payback order.
