False rape claim woman handed community work

A 25-year-old unemployed Masterton woman who claimed to was raped to get a ride home with police was convicted of making a false statement and sentenced to 100 hours community work, in Masterton District Court, yesterday.

According to the police summary of facts on April 17 Helen Maree Bidlake attended a male strip show in Greytown.

Bidlake did not want to pay for a taxi back to Masterton so rang 111 and said she had been raped by a male she had met at the show.

She was taken by police to Masterton Police Station and later dropped home.

On April 19 she made a formal complaint, again saying she had been raped while in Greytown.

Three days later Bidlake told police she had made up the allegation, saying she knew police would give her a ride home of she said she had been raped.

Defence lawyer Jock Blathwayt said Bidlake had just broken up with her partner and was under stress at the time.

"She has other issues," Mr Blathwayt said.

Judge Michael Behrens said Bidlake had been charged for a similar offence, where she had made a false statement, in 2010.