Are the scales of justice still balanced in Scotland?
Douglas McConnell fears there are now fewer safeguards to protect against wrongful convictions in criminal trials.
26 October 2026
False allegations
19 stories
Trans woman who falsely accused multiple men of rape tells the court she lied
Khloe Simmonds, 26, has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to eight counts of perverting the course of justice over false rape allegations spanning seven years
19 September 2026
International Falsely Accused Day Observances Held in 68 Cities in 15 Countries
Organisers of International Falsely Accused Day counted observances in 68 cities across 15 countries on 9 September, from rallies in Argentina, Mexico and Chile to gatherings outside the Royal Courts of Justice and the Scottish Parliament, all pressing for criminal penalties for deliberate false accusers.
15 September 2026
Ex-wife jailed for false claims police officer ex-husband is a rapist
Jennifer Pritchard was jailed for a two-month Facebook campaign falsely accusing her police officer ex-husband of being a rapist and a baby killer. It was the second time she had been jailed for inventing allegations against him.
12 September 2026
Mother from Bolton who falsely accused 10 men of rape has jail term increased
Stacey Sharples was jailed for four-and-a-half years in March after admitting 10 counts of perverting the course of justice. The Court of Appeal has ruled that term unduly lenient and increased it to seven years.
9 September 2026
She Was Absolved of a Heinous Crime. Why Won’t They Leave Her Alone?
A judge exonerated Nancy Smith, an Ohio bus driver, after she was convicted of abusing children in her care. Now, prosecutors want to reverse an order saying she was innocent.
25 August 2026
‘It’s over’: Judge returns kids to Valpo couple who says state wrongfully accused them of abuse
A Valparaiso mother and father have their kids back after they say the Indiana Department of Child Services wrongfully accused them of abusing their baby.
7 July 2026
Actor Timothy Busfield told detective allegations of child sex abuse were 'disgusting,' audio shows
Newly released body-camera audio captures actor Timothy Busfield denying child sex-abuse allegations to an Albuquerque detective, as his attorney calls the recording 'completely exculpatory.'
16 April 2026
Bodycam: 'MeToo' accuser raided
Bodycam footage shows the police raid on a MeToo accuser as questions mount over her celebrity abuse claims.
3 October 2025
Catholic Priest Ruthlessly Hunted by Overzealous Detective Specializing in Sexual Abuse Cases Against Clergymen
The wrongful-conviction case of Fr. Gordon MacRae — a New Hampshire priest sentenced to 33½–67 years on uncorroborated abuse claims — and the discredited detective, James McLaughlin, whose investigation secured it.
1 April 2025
Alleged fake sex abuse scam revealed as multiple people arrested
Police allege a group of “claims farmers” recruited former inmates and public-school students to file fraudulent historical child sexual abuse compensation claims, leading to arrests across Sydney.
13 February 2025
Don't believe the 'Believe Her' movement
Mary Wakefield on the 'Believe Her' movement and the case of German MP Stefan Gelbhaar, whose career was ruined by allegations that collapsed.
29 January 2025
Cheerleading coach acquitted of sexually assaulting girls
An Adelaide cheerleading coach who had been accused of sexually assaulting girls at a club is acquitted of all charges, after a judge finds the complainants were "not credible or reliable".
29 September 2023
Presumption of guilt unshackles society’s bigotries
For those committed to preserving a society worth living in, few sights could be more dispiriting than that of mass rallies undermining the presumption of…
19 March 2021
Australia: Exposing the cost of NSW police misconduct
NSW Greens MLC David Shoebridge moved a motion in state parliament on 5 August, calling on the Department of Communities and Justice to release the figures…
14 August 2020
A son speaks out
Moses Farrow's first-person account of life inside Mia Farrow's household, and why he says the 1992 allegation against Woody Allen never happened.
23 May 2018
Mud sticks: new study into ‘living hell’ of the wrongly accused
An Oxford study of 30 interviews finds teachers and carers cleared of abuse are ‘a new and growing class of victims’, left with wrecked careers and enduring trauma.
19 May 2016
Social worker: 'Why I falsely accused father of abusing daughter'
Cafcass social worker Suzi Smith admitted falsely accusing Jonathan Coupland of abusing his daughter, and said police pressured her to stand by the claim.
9 August 2014
The Consequences of False Accusation Cases in NSW (Australia)
Have you ever been the subject of a false accusation that led to you being investigated, or even charged with a criminal offense?
28 May 2014