A woman who falsely accused a man of rape has been handed a suspended sentence.

Inspectors Spiridione Zammit and Joseph Busuttil arraigned 33-year-old Bianca Hoyer from Germany before duty magistrate Doreen Clarke this morning.

Hoyer was charged with falsely accusing the man of a crime of which she knew he was innocent, and fabricating evidence.

Brincat told the court that the woman has a child in hospital and was worried about it.

Inspector Busuttil explained to the court that the woman had made a false report of rape and illegal arrest because she was afraid that the German authorities were going to take her child away. She had admitted, during interrogation, to making up the story of being held against her will and raped by the accused.

Lawyer Joe Brincat, legal aid to the woman, entered a guilty plea.

The court handed down a sentence of 1 year’s imprisonment, suspended for 2 years.