A 35-year-old Inverness woman who falsely told police she had been mugged at knifepoint so she could get emergency cash from the authorities cost the public purse almost £1,000.
It was only when police spotted discrepancies in Kelly Mulroy’s detailed story and checked CCTV footage that they discovered she had made up the attack.
Mulroy, of 94 Assynt Road, Inverness, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted a charge of wasting police time on January 28 this year.
When Sheriff Margaret Neilson saw Mulroy’s list of previous convictions, she told lawyer Natalie Bruce that she would be calling for a background report before hearing from the solicitor.
Fiscal depute Fraser Matheson told the court that Mulroy contacted police to report that she had been attacked by two men.
“She said both had Scouse (Liverpudlian) accents and one of them had a knife. The other took cash from her pocket, Mulroy told police.
“She said the incident had taken place about 3.30pm on the path between Fairfield Lane and Lilac Grove. The area was examined by police and a detailed account was taken from her. She gave a description of the men, her clothing was taken possession of and DNA swabs taken from her neck where she said she was held at knifepoint.
“But there were discrepancies in her account which raised suspicions. Fortunately, a private CCTV system was in operation at the location at the time. When it was analysed, it showed that she had never entered or exited the lane and neither had two men matching her description.
“She was again questioned by police when she admitted: ‘I wasted your time that day. I am really sorry. I made up the story so I could get an emergency payment from the Council.” Mr Matheson went on.
He also gave a breakdown of the cost of the entire police operation which involved over a dozen police devoting many police hours of door to door inquiries, report writing and forensic gathering.
In total it came to £936.
Sentence was deferred on Mulroy until June 30 and she had her bail continued.
