A woman has been jailed after falsely accusing a man who offered her a lift home of rape, leading to his arrest and months of distress before he was cleared.
Rachael Jones, 38, was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting perverting the course of justice at Chester Crown Court.
The court heard that in April 2022, Jones had been drinking with friends and was ejected from a taxi following an argument with the driver. She was later found barefoot, distressed and crying in the street.
She was approached by Salim Ullah, 33, who stopped his car and offered her a lift home out of concern for her safety.
During the journey, Jones attempted to hug him, but he declined and instead offered her a high-five. After being dropped off safely, she went inside her home and contacted police, falsely claiming she had been gang-raped by Ullah and two other men.
Jones alleged she had been attacked by “three Pakistani men” in a layby and provided detailed descriptions of a fictional assault lasting 45 minutes.
Following the complaint, Ullah was traced through his vehicle registration and arrested at his home in Stoke-on-Trent. He was held in custody for 30 hours and subjected to intrusive examinations while police investigated the claim.
Detectives later concluded that no rape had taken place after Ullah provided video footage recorded on his mobile phone during the journey, which contradicted Jones’s account.
The investigation was carried out by Cheshire Police, which said Jones only admitted lying when confronted with clear evidence.
Detective Superintendent Helena Banusic said: “She falsely claimed that she had been raped, leading to the arrest of an innocent man. Only when faced with irrefutable evidence did she admit she had made up the allegations.”
Ullah later told the court that the accusation had caused severe emotional strain, particularly as his wife was six months pregnant at the time.
He said: “I was worried I might not be there for the birth of my baby. I feel lucky I recorded the incident. I believe I was targeted due to my ethnicity.”
The court heard that Ullah had since moved away from Stoke-on-Trent because of the impact on his reputation and mental health.
Passing sentence, Judge Steven Everett said Ullah had acted with compassion and responsibility.
He told Jones: “Mr Ullah behaved in an exemplary fashion and went to your aid. Sadly, your actions may deter others from helping people in genuine distress.”
The judge added that without the recording, Ullah could have faced prosecution and lasting damage to his life.
Prosecutor Thomas McLoughlin said Jones’s false report had wasted significant police time and resources.
In mitigation, her lawyer said she had been intoxicated and in a difficult personal situation at the time of the offence.
Speaking after sentencing, police said the case demonstrated the seriousness with which sexual offence allegations are treated and warned that false reports undermine confidence in the justice system and harm genuine victims.
Ullah’s family said they were relieved he had been cleared and described Jones’s actions as “cruel” and devastating.