A YOUNG woman was sentenced to nine months in prison on Thursday for making a false report to the Police against her father in 2019.
The now 22 year-old was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Making False Report, a charge laid under the Police Act 2013
Deputy Chief Magistrate, Ricky Iomea, in his sentencing remarks said the sentence he imposed does not only serve as a punishment but as a message of specific and general deterrence.
“The defendant is well aware that the allegation she was about to lodge with the police was and is false but she proceeded and made a false report against her father,” Mr Iomea said.
He said the defendant deliberately used the justice system as revenge against her father for not allowing her to get married.
“This also indicated that the offending was planned.
“The false report made against her father shows she does not have respect for her father.”
Mr Iomea said instead of resolving the issues between her and her father within the family settings, she went and lodged the serious allegation against her father.
“This is serious,
“I noted from the facts, she was under the influence of liquor when she attended the Henderson Police Station and lodged her complaint.
“She did not have a second thought about the impact of a false report, not only on her father but the Police Investigators, Mr Iomea added.”
Mr Iomea said Police had wasted their time and resources to investigate the allegation against the defendant’s father.
The defendant, who was 19 May 2019, attended the Henderson Police Station whilst under the influence of Liquor and made a written complaint against her father.
The court heard that in her statement, she said her father had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions in 2012,
On 22 July 2019, the defendant gave another statement to Police, stating that the allegations she made two months earlier were false and did not happen.
It was also heard she told police at that time she made the complaint because she wanted to get married but her father did not approve of it.
The incest charge against her father was therefore withdrawn.
Police arrested and charged the defendant on 29 June 2022 and was remanded in custody since then.
Her sentence was backdated to the day she was arrested and remanded in custody.
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN
Newsroom, Honiara
