A Moray woman who claimed to have been assaulted and robbed in her home just days after Christmas has been charged by police.
The 48-year-old from Burghead went to officers for help, claiming that an unknown man had stolen £1,000 from her on December 27 and that she had been left injured because of the incident.
While she was unable to identify her assailant, she told them he had been wearing a blue puffa-style jacket, with the hood partially covering his face.
Woman left with facial injuries during robbery at Moray property
An extensive investigation was quickly launched into what the police described as an “exceptionally unusual incident,” with officers fearing she had been deliberately targeted.
Police issued a plea for members of the public to share dashcam footage of the area around Keith Road from 7am that morning, when the robbery was alleged to have taken place.
They also asked anyone who may have been walking nearby at that time to also get in touch.
Officers said that the woman had been left with a facial injury which left her requiring medical attention.
They added that she had been “extremely shaken” by the ordeal.
But last night, almost four months after the woman’s initial complaint, police closed their investigation into the robbery.
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They issued a statement saying they were confident that “there was no criminality” and that the woman had been charged with wasting police time and a fraudulent scheme.
It said: “A 48-year-old woman has been charged in relation to allegedly wasting police time and an alleged fraudulent scheme.
“She will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal and is anticipated to appear at Elgin Sheriff Court at a later date.”
Meanwhile Detective Sergeant Andrew Wilson said: “A thorough investigation was carried out and it has been established that no crime was committed in relation to the robbery.
“We are grateful to the community for its support while enquiries were carried out.”
