A woman's deliberate lies resulted in an innocent man being arrested and held in a police cell for seven hours. Amelia Harrison, 22, from North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, falsely reported that a man had breached a court order by texting her, causing his arrest while he was supposed to pick up his wife from the hospital.
Background of the Case
Newcastle Crown Court heard that there had been issues between Harrison and the victim, leading to a non-molestation order being imposed in February 2024. On July 10 of that year, Harrison contacted police claiming the man had violated the order by sending her a text message.
How the Lie Unfolded
Prosecutor Rachel Glover explained that Harrison had sent a text to herself, pretending it came from the man. When police visited her, she showed them a screenshot of the fabricated message. The next day, the man was arrested and taken to a North Tyneside police station, where he was held in a cell for seven hours before being released on bail.
On July 14, police returned to Harrison's home for further inquiries. Glover stated: "He found the defendant was cagey. She told the officer her phone was elsewhere and asked if they could drop the case." Police discovered the phone in her father's bedroom and found the text now had a number attached—her own number.
Impact on the Victim
The victim's statement revealed the emotional toll: "The lie to the police led to him being arrested, causing him to have his liberty taken away from him and it caused him to be anxious. He knew he was innocent and didn't deserve to be in a police cell. He was due to pick his wife up from a hospital after an operation and being in custody meant he was unable to do so." He added that Harrison's actions made him feel depressed and constantly worried about being arrested again due to a lie.
Sentencing
Harrison pleaded guilty to doing acts tending or intended to pervert the course of justice between July 9 and 15, 2024. She received a 12-month suspended sentence for 18 months, 150 hours of unpaid work, a restraining order, and was ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.
Defense lawyer Rachel Hedworth said: "She is utterly remorseful and that is genuine remorse. She has taken steps to ensure she has not been in any further trouble since her arrest." Hedworth noted that Harrison was immature at the time and has since made significant progress, now working.
