- Dec 27, 2016
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A former prison guard who spent months behind bars for a fake rape has told a court how his ex-partner's crime nearly drove him to suicide, changed who he was and "shattered" his faith in the legal system.
Sarah-Jane Parkinson, 28, was on Thursday sentenced to more than three years in jail in the ACT Magistrates Court for the false claim made in 2014, in which she went as far as to stage a crime scene.
Parkinson, a former police worker, alleged the rape against her former partner while he was a prison guard at Canberra's jail.
The court earlier heard the couple met in 2011 and split within two years — after the couple were engaged and bought a house together.
Parkinson was in a new relationship on the day she made the allegations, and she had sent her new partner a blank message which was their call for help.
Police visited her house to find her with a head injury which was later found to be made up, her jeans undone, and a nearby condom wrapper.
At the time, she told police she could not remember much, but in late interviews claimed to have recalled more and more details, including adding new alleged assaults onto the fake rape.
She falsely told police that the victim had forcefully slammed her head into a retaining wall and drenched her with a hose.
Court documents showed investigators later found the accused man — her former partner — had been at his parents' house with others at the time of the alleged incident.
The former corrections officer was remanded in custody and spent nearly four months in Goulburn jail before the charges were dropped.
The victim's mother looked straight at Parkinson when she read her victim impact statement, at times sobbing.
She said the emotional and financial stress caused the breakdown of her 36-year marriage with the victim's father.
The family were forced to re-mortgage their house to pay for the $300,000 legal bill.
The woman said that in the past five years she kept detailed diaries and CCTV records of the family's movements for fear of more false accusations against them.
Scathing of the ACT legal system, she said her son was not afforded the presumption of innocence he deserved.
The victim's lawyer argued the false accusations by Parkinson undermine genuine domestic violence and rape victims.
In sentencing, Magistrate Beth Campbell agreed with this sentiment, saying it "exploited" the seriousness to which claims of domestic violence and rape are treated.
Magistrate Campbell also noted the lack of remorse shown by Ms Parkinson, as she had chosen not to apologise to the victim and his family.
Parkinson appeared straight-faced as the sentence was handed down.
She was sentenced to three years and one month in jail with two years non-parole.
*
I haven't posted the entire victim impact statement, it's difficult reading but it's in here if you want to:
Woman jailed for lying about being raped by ex-partner, faking crime scene
As a prison guard his life was at high risk in jail, I think three years for her might be too light.
While neither gender has a monopoly on deceit, throw the whole bucket of tomatoes at her.
Sarah-Jane Parkinson, 28, was on Thursday sentenced to more than three years in jail in the ACT Magistrates Court for the false claim made in 2014, in which she went as far as to stage a crime scene.
Parkinson, a former police worker, alleged the rape against her former partner while he was a prison guard at Canberra's jail.
The court earlier heard the couple met in 2011 and split within two years — after the couple were engaged and bought a house together.
Parkinson was in a new relationship on the day she made the allegations, and she had sent her new partner a blank message which was their call for help.
Police visited her house to find her with a head injury which was later found to be made up, her jeans undone, and a nearby condom wrapper.
At the time, she told police she could not remember much, but in late interviews claimed to have recalled more and more details, including adding new alleged assaults onto the fake rape.
She falsely told police that the victim had forcefully slammed her head into a retaining wall and drenched her with a hose.
Court documents showed investigators later found the accused man — her former partner — had been at his parents' house with others at the time of the alleged incident.
The former corrections officer was remanded in custody and spent nearly four months in Goulburn jail before the charges were dropped.
The victim's mother looked straight at Parkinson when she read her victim impact statement, at times sobbing.
She said the emotional and financial stress caused the breakdown of her 36-year marriage with the victim's father.
The family were forced to re-mortgage their house to pay for the $300,000 legal bill.
The woman said that in the past five years she kept detailed diaries and CCTV records of the family's movements for fear of more false accusations against them.
Scathing of the ACT legal system, she said her son was not afforded the presumption of innocence he deserved.
The victim's lawyer argued the false accusations by Parkinson undermine genuine domestic violence and rape victims.
In sentencing, Magistrate Beth Campbell agreed with this sentiment, saying it "exploited" the seriousness to which claims of domestic violence and rape are treated.
Magistrate Campbell also noted the lack of remorse shown by Ms Parkinson, as she had chosen not to apologise to the victim and his family.
Parkinson appeared straight-faced as the sentence was handed down.
She was sentenced to three years and one month in jail with two years non-parole.
*
I haven't posted the entire victim impact statement, it's difficult reading but it's in here if you want to:
Woman jailed for lying about being raped by ex-partner, faking crime scene
As a prison guard his life was at high risk in jail, I think three years for her might be too light.
While neither gender has a monopoly on deceit, throw the whole bucket of tomatoes at her.
