Woman, 26, who left her blind neighbour suicidal after falsely claiming he had raped her is jailed for two years
- Jade Wass rang police saying she’d been attacked by neighbour on July 8, 2020
- She claimed she’d been asleep in tent next to boyfriend when she was awoken
- Wass told police he had then made cut throat gesture to ensure she kept quiet
- But a subsequent police probe made it clear she was lying in January last year
- Wass was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court today
A woman who left her vulnerable blind neighbour feeling suicidal after falsely claiming he had raped her has been jailed for two years.
Jade Wass, 26, called police saying she had been attacked by her neighbour while camping outside of a home in Teesside on July 8, 2020.
She claimed she had been sleeping in the tent next to her boyfriend when she was awoken by a man, not identified in court, straddling her.
Wass told police the man had then made a cut throat gesture to ensure she remained quiet before he attacked her.
But a subsequent police investigation revealed she had made a false report to officers and she was arrested in January last year.
Wass was jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court today after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice. She was also sentenced to a restraining order banning contact with the man, referred to as Mr X during proceedings.
Richard Bennett, prosecuting, told the court: ‘Mr X was particularly vulnerable. A police officer was despatched to the address to take an account and Mr X was arrested but then released on bail.
Jade Wass, 26, left her blind neighbour feeling suicidal after falsely claiming he had raped her
‘The defendant contacted police saying she was very upset he had been released and said she feared for her safety.
‘On July 11, the defendant was video interviewed for her full account of the alleged rape.
‘She maintained her false account. However, swabs taken from her identified a match with her partner but there was no forensic link with Mr X.
‘Police checked CCTV and contrary to her account it showed her own partner was outside the tent standing about at the time.’
The court was also told that Mr X is registered blind and would not ordinarily leave the house due to his poor eyesight.
He also said he had sustained a hand injury at the time which restricted his movement.
Mr Bennett said it became to clear to police by January 2021 that Wass was lying.
She was arrested by officers on January 4, but gave no comment in interview.
In a statement to police on April 8, 2021, Mr X said he had heard the couple having an argument in the days prior to the bogus incident.
He said the defendant’s partner had accused her of ‘fancying Mr X and sleeping with him’.
The neighbour also claimed that, at one point, he heard her partner say ‘we’re going to get X, we’re going to do something’.
Mr Bennett continued: ‘When Mr X was arrested for rape he said he felt sick he’d been asleep.
‘He said he felt extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed about having swabs taken by a nurse.
‘The police told Mr X they had to make a referral to social services as he had access to his son.
Wass was jailed for two years at Teesside Crown Court (pictured) today after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice
‘Due to this Mr X had problems with his ex-girlfriend for a few weeks but she eventually let him see his son again, but those initial weeks were extremely hard.’
In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr X laid bare the devastating impact the ‘malicious’ allegations have had on his life. saying he was left suicidal.
He said: ‘To be labelled as a rapist is one of the worst things imaginable. I had suicidal thoughts due to the accusations not because I felt any guilt as I absolutely didn’t do what she has accused me off but the thought of the impact this malicious accusation has had on my life, mental health and wellbeing.
‘I feared I wouldn’t see my son again it was about three months before I could talk my ex around and she allowed me to have access.
‘This accusation almost broke me. I’m happy the police are pursuing a case against Jade Wass.’
Simon Walker, representing Wass, said in mitigation that all she wanted to do ‘was get Mr X to stay away’.
He said she has had an extremely traumatic start in life and cares for her boyfriend.
The court also heard she is of previous good character and was suffering with paranoia at the time of the offence.
Mr Walker detailed how she had acted out of character with no thought and has been assessed as at low risk of reoffending.
But Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Wass to two years’ imprisonment today.
It comes after Wass, now of Clarks Yard, Darlington, was living with her boyfriend in their car after claiming they were ‘homeless’, TeessideLive reported.
The couple resorted to begging after sleeping and eating in their vehicle and going to the toilet by opening the car door.
It was claimed that they then made the decision to relocate to Birmingham months earlier, but ‘weren’t settling’ and decided to move back to Teesside.
They said they left the city believing they had ended their tenancy agreement in their supported accommodation.
They returned to Teesside expected to be housed, but it appears there was a mix-up with council accommodation.
It was not clear at the time if the tenancy with Birmingham Council was still active and the couple told TeessideLive ‘a referral has been sent’ to Middlesbrough Council.
Wass claimed they made the three-hour drive back to Middlesbrough in September, but were left homeless.
At the time, she added: ‘We haven’t had access to water to have a wash, or go to the toilet, or nothing.
‘We have human rights. We are vulnerable and have mental health problems.
‘We have to open the car door and go to the toilet outside. We’ve got no shower so are just getting changed and not washed.’
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