Jemma Beale, 25, from Bedfont, west London, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for fabricating multiple sexual assault allegations. She was found guilty at Southwark Crown Court in July of four counts of perjury and four counts of perverting the course of justice.
Beale claimed she had been seriously sexually assaulted by six men and raped by nine others, all strangers, in four separate incidents over three years. One of her false allegations led to the wrongful conviction of Mahad Cassim, who spent time in prison before his conviction was quashed in July 2015.
Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith described Beale as a 'very, very convincing liar' who enjoyed being seen as a victim. The prosecution said her life was a 'construct of bogus victimhood'. Police spent 6,400 hours investigating her claims at a cost of at least £250,000, with the trial costing an additional £109,000.
Beale's false allegations included claims of being groped in a pub and gang-raped, with her injuring herself to support the story. She also fabricated similar allegations against six other men in 2013. The judge noted that her actions could deter genuine victims from coming forward.
Beale maintains her innocence and is considering an appeal against the sentence, according to her defence lawyer Lawrence Henderson.
