Woman Accuses Police Officer of Rape, Finds Herself on Trial Instead

Israel’s former police officer stands trial for alleged false rape allegations, only to be exonerated when crucial evidence emerged in court.

When Ruth reported her police officer ex-partner for rape, she never imagined she would be the one facing criminal charges. After enduring a traumatic legal battle lasting years, Ruth was finally cleared of accusations that she had fabricated her rape claim.

Ruth, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, reported the alleged rape in early 2020, seven months after her relationship with the West Midlands Police officer had ended. The alleged assault occurred during their final encounter. “I felt that if I didn’t report it, I couldn’t continue with my life anymore,” Ruth told BBC File on 4 Investigates.

While her former partner faced no charges, Ruth was accused of perverting the course of justice – an offense that carries a potential life sentence in the United Kingdom.

False rape accusations are exceedingly rare in the UK justice system. According to Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) data from 2011-12, out of 5,651 rape prosecutions in England and Wales, only 35 cases involved false allegations. Following updated CPS guidelines around that time, prosecutions for false rape claims declined further.

The impact of rape allegations can be severe for the accused, who may face detention and public stigma even if quickly cleared. The CPS maintains that the threshold for prosecuting someone for a false allegation is deliberately high, with approval required from senior lawyers within the organization.

Ruth’s relationship with the police officer was brief but intense, ending in summer 2019 after what she described as a painful sexual encounter that constituted rape. She had reluctantly agreed to a particular sexual act but set two conditions – including that her partner would stop if she told him it was painful. Ruth maintains she later withdrew consent during sex.

“It was really, really, really painful,” she said, adding that her partner did not stop when asked. The pain was so severe that she sought medical attention, visiting her GP who referred her to hospital for examination.

Initially hesitant to report the incident “because he was a police officer,” Ruth tried to move on. Months later, struggling to form connections with new partners, she decided to report the alleged rape to Warwickshire Police.

Her ex-partner was arrested and questioned but denied the rape accusation. To prove the sex was consensual, he presented an audio recording secretly captured on his phone during the encounter, which he claimed showed Ruth was lying.

Warwickshire Police investigators concluded they could hear Ruth “laughing and consenting” in the recording. Six weeks later, they informed her they would take no action against her ex-partner. Instead, Ruth was asked to attend a voluntary interview.

“I thought they were being supportive of me, but it changed quickly,” she recalled. “They said I was a scorned woman, he didn’t want me, so I was crying rape.”

It was during this interview that Ruth first learned about the secret recording. In November 2020, nine months after making her allegation, she was charged with perverting the course of justice.

The prosecution built their case on alleged inconsistencies between Ruth’s account and WhatsApp messages exchanged with her partner, plus the audio recording, which they claimed showed her consent. However, when the case finally came to trial in April 2023, a dramatic turn of events unfolded.

While prosecutors referred to a transcript of the recording in court, they didn’t play the audio for the jury. Ruth’s barrister, Sophie Murray, made the crucial decision to play it. Far from showing consent, the recording captured Ruth expressing pain and telling her partner “no” and to “take it out.” There was no laughter or enjoyment in her voice.

Further analysis revealed that background noises suggesting enjoyment actually came from a pornographic film playing simultaneously. “Suddenly, everything changed,” Ruth recalled, noting it was the first time she had heard the recording of the alleged rape.

Under cross-examination, her ex-partner admitted Ruth had asked him to stop the sexual activity if it became painful – and acknowledged he didn’t stop. Currently suspended from West Midlands Police with full pay, he faces a misconduct hearing later this year regarding the unauthorized recording.

The jury took just over an hour to find Ruth not guilty of perverting justice. While not a rape trial, the verdict confirmed the jury believed Ruth genuinely thought she had been raped when making her allegation.

The judge questioned the decision-making processes of both the CPS and Warwickshire Police, calling for the original rape allegation to be reinvestigated.

The CPS stated they take all rape allegations seriously and that Ruth’s case received multiple senior prosecutor reviews. Warwickshire Police conducted a thorough review of both cases after her trial, consulting independent officers and seeking advice from a different CPS area. Nevertheless, they determined there was insufficient evidence to pursue rape charges and closed the case.

Despite feeling let down by the decision not to prosecute her ex-partner, Ruth doesn’t regret reporting the alleged assault. “I can honestly say everything I’ve done has been right for myself and for other people,” she said. “I hope nobody will be in the same position as me.”