A woman who cried rape has been spared jail after falsely claiming she had been attacked in Ashford.

Jessica Gore, of Curtis Road, used the sick lie to cover up her tracks with her husband after returning home late from spending time with another man.

The 32-year-old said she had been raped in an alleyway between Curtis Road and Cudworth Road, in South Willesborough, as she was returning home after baby-sitting.

The allegations sparked rumours a sex attacker who had been plaguing Ashford might have struck again at around 10pm on September 24 last year.

Detectives took on the investigation after a description of the man given by Gore resembled an efit image issued by police.

Forensics officers scoured the alleyway, but Gore was arrested a week after the complaint was made and was charged with perverting the course of justice.

She was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday after admitting the charge at an earlier hearing.

Gore was given an eight-month suspended prison sentence by Judge Heather Norton, who also praised police handling of the case.

DI Richard Vickery said: "Kent Police takes very seriously all reports of rape and sexual assault and all are fully investigated by experienced detectives.

"Sadly, in this case, the allegation of rape proved to be untrue but was not admitted until after extensive enquiries had been carried out by detectives at a time when there was understandable public concern about a number of earlier assaults being carried out in the Ashford area.

"I would echo the comments made by Her Honour Judge Norton in court that this is a very serious type of offence and by its very means strikes fear into the hearts of women, undermining actual victims.

"Gore had lied to family, friends and the police and her deception was uncovered by the police investigation and not her own admission."