Judge Michael Taylor told pregnant Gemma Scoones she deserved to go to prison, but to send her there would be unfair to her unborn child.

Earlier this year, Scoones went to hospital and told staff she had been raped, Durham Crown Court heard.
"She was questioned about the allegation," said prosecutor Lesley Kirkup. "At first she continued to maintain she had been attacked.

"Police were called and searched her house for a piece of string which she claimed had been used in the alleged rape.

"When no string could be found, Scoones conceded she had made up the allegation."

Scoones, 27, of Hardwick Street, Horden, admitted perverting the course of justice in April of this year.

The court heard she was jailed for 12 months last year for making another false allegation of rape.

Judge Michael Taylor declined to hear mitigation in the case, before sentencing Scoones to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.

The judge told her: "The last time you carried out this offence, an innocent man was arrested and kept in custody.

"This time, no one was arrested, which makes this offence a serious one, but not as serious as the first.

"It would also be unfair to your unborn child if it were to be born in prison.

"But make no mistake, do this again and it will be 12 months to start with, and another sentence on top."