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The Dominion
March 21, 2002
False rape complaint cost $30,000, say police
A Wellington dancer who laid a false rape complaint which police spent up to
$30,000 investigating was sentenced yesterday to community service, when she
appeared in Wellington District Court.
Judge Margaret Lee said police devoted 350 to 400 man-hours investigating
18-year-old Ricki Anne Livingstone's complaint that she had been held down by
one man and raped by another in Lukes
Lane near Manners St last May.
At the time police were already busy investigating a spate of central-city
sex attacks. Police made a public appeal for information and numerous people
responded.
"Police followed them up and came to think you might have made a false
complaint," Judge Lee said.
When spoken to by officers Livingstone admitted she had lied about the
attack, giving no reason other than she had been drunk.
The police time could have been used to investigate genuine complaints, Judge
Lee said.
According to police figures, an investigation of that length would have cost
between $26,000 and $30,000.
Defence lawyer Mark Wilton said Livingstone had a problem with drugs and
alcohol, which she did want to take steps to tackle. She had spent a total of
eight days in Arohata Prison on remand.
She had initially agreed to make a payment of $250 to a charity in exchange
for a discharge without conviction. Mr Wilton said Livingstone told him she
had posted a payment of $100 in cash to police, however, police said it had
not been received.
The offer had since been withdrawn.
A request for continuation of name suppression on the grounds of her young
age was declined.
Judge Lee sentenced Livingstone to 100 hours of community service on the
false complaint charge, as well as three unrelated theft charges
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