Allegations of Sexual Abuse in NZ
	False Allegations - Index
	Cases - 2005
	The Timaru Herald January 27 2005 Prison for false abuse complaint An Orari woman was yesterday given a two-month prison sentence for making a false child sexual abuse complaint to Children, Youth and Family. Kelly Rebecca Dalton, 30, a beneficiary, pleaded guilty to a charge of using a telephone to knowingly give a fictitious message. Judge Christopher Somerville described the allegation of child abuse as one of the worst that could be made. A nine-year-old child had been removed from his family for five days while CYF investigated the allegation. In October last year Dalton telephoned the National Child Youth and Family Call Centre. She gave the call taker another name and said she had witnessed the complainant sexually abusing her child. When spoken to by police Dalton said the complainant was responsible for the breakup of a previous relationship. Counsel James Eddy said Dalton hadn't realised the serious ramifications of making such an allegation. "It was a particularly nasty lie . . . there was no foundation to it," Judge Somerville said. "CYF was obliged to treat it seriously and take steps to protect the child." Judge Somerville said such an allegation was the worst that could be made against a mother, and it could take the family years to get over it. The husband's health had suffered as a result of the incident. In making the call Dalton had deliberately inflicted harm on the family. He said it was in victims' and the public's interest that complaints made to CYF were properly investigated. Such a malicious complaint had held up the investigation of genuine complaints, Judge Somerville said, noting the department was running behind with such investigations and was constantly under criticism for being so. He said there was no appropriate punishment other than prison. Dalton was denied leave to apply for home detention. When she asked if the sentence could be deferred so she could arrange for the care of her children, Judge Somerville refused, stating that CYF would do so if her own relatives could not.