Police say Hamilton schoolgirl rape was faked

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Hamilton Police say that the case of a schoolgirl who reported she was raped while walking home from school last month was false.

In a press release, police said the girl, 15, admitted to police she had made up the story when she was re-interviewed today.

The girl had reported that she was walking home from school in the suburb of Nawton on February 27 when a man got out of a vehicle and grabbed her, forcing her into the back of a vehicle and raping her.

"This admission has left police disappointed and frustrated at the actions of the girl," said Detective Sergeant Robbie Hermann of the Waikato CIB in the press release. "Many hours work that could have been spent on investigating genuine cases of child abuse have effectively been lost."

Police said the false complaint caused many parents in the area to be fearful for their own children and created a sense of panic.

"I regard Hamilton to be a safe city where children can walk to and from school without fear of attack by a sexual predator," Hermann said.