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I have been falsely accused of rape – What do I do?

Rape is a serious crime and, if found guilty, offenders can be looking at up to life in prison.

But what if you’ve been falsely accused of rape? Thousands of rape claims are made each year and, whilst many of these are completely true, some cases collapse due to insufficient evidence. Others are proved to be false claims, and this is where DPP Law can help.

What constitutes rape?

Rape is the act of one person intentionally penetrating a person’s vagina, anus or mouth with their penis, finger or foreign object without consent.

The legal age of consent in the UK is 16. However, if a person is in a position of trust (a teacher, for example) and has sex with someone under the age of 18, they can be prosecuted.

For more information about what constitutes rape, see The Sexual Offences Act 2003.

What is the punishment for rape?

In the UK, the punishment for the offence of rape can be anything up to life imprisonment.

What to do if you are facing a false rape allegation

After you have been falsely accused of rape, it is important to get a good defence attorney. Here at DPP Law, we have a dedicated team of sex offence lawyers who are all experts in these types of cases.

It is vital to write down every detail of the case as you know it, no matter how insignificant you think it is. It’s important that you’re able to get your side of the story across, including any reasons you can think of as to why you think the ‘victim’ might be making the false rape accusation (such as revenge). Also make a list of any witnesses that can vouch for you.

If consensual sexual contact was involved, it is vital that you keep hold of any text messages, voicemails, emails or any other correspondence that may prove that the accuser did, in fact, give consent.

If you have been falsely accused of rape, contact one of our sexual offence solicitors today for sound legal advice and representation.