A woman was arrested for allegedly fabricating a gang rape incident that garnered widespread attention on social media. The woman, in her 20s, claimed on Facebook that four men in tracksuits assaulted her at Milton Regis Recreation Ground near Sittingbourne around 9pm last Saturday.
Her post circulated through local online groups, including the Gossip Board of Sittingbourne with 46,000 members, prompting calls for information from the public.
Authorities took the woman into custody on Wednesday and brought her to the local police station for interrogation. She has been released on bail as the investigation continues.
Police clarified that they were not directly informed about the alleged assault but initiated an investigation based on the online post. Subsequently, no evidence was found to support the claim of the attack.
Chief Inspector Vanessa Foster of the Swale district emphasized the seriousness of such allegations, stating, “We treat reports of this nature with the utmost importance. The individual behind the social media post has been identified and arrested on suspicion of misleading law enforcement.”
Foster reassured victims of sexual offenses that their complaints are taken seriously, investigations are thorough, and support is provided as needed.