A WOMAN who reported eight false rapes to the police has walked free from court.

Rod Hunt, prosecuting, said Jayne Stuart, 37, withdrew the latest claim after she realised the effect on the men she accused after having consensual sex with them.

Judge Peter Bowers said it was unfortunate that there was no anonymity for the men, four of whom were acquitted after trials in the past two years.

Mr Hunt told Teesside Crown Court yesterday that Stuart, who is single, was not wicked, but had mental health difficulties that led to her making the accusations.

One man from Darlington was cleared of rape, but convicted of actual bodily harm assault with a sex toy.

The family of her latest victim was in court when she pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of public justice between April 24 and May 16 with a false allegation of rape to police.

Stuart, of Gormier Close, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, with supervision.

Mr Hunt said: “Each of the men involved have suffered a terrible stigma.

“It seems to be a fallback position on her behaviour.

She makes a complaint and it has to be investigated, but she has withdrawn her most recent complaint.

“The Crown concede in her case that she is a person labouring under mental health difficulties, and that this is not the usual case where someone is out-and-out wicked.

“It may be, now that she is able to see the harm she is doing to others, that she may be able to stand on her own two feet.”

Bryan Russell, in mitigation, said Stuart feared jail.

He said she had worked in charity shops in the past, and was willing to do so again as a community punishment.

Judge Bowers told her: “You deserve a prison sentence and usually I would send somebody to prison for this.

“The danger is that if you had a genuine, a real complaint in the future, the police might not be very inclined to take you seriously.

“You will have to be very careful with whom you take up with in the future.”