A binge drinking woman who has cried rape against five different innocent men walked free from court.

Tracy Brooks, 26, was responsible for wasting massive amounts of police time when she made two false rape claims against two friends within the space of a month last Summer.

The men were arrested, questioned, held for hours in custody and faced the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence if her claims were believed.

But weeks later she came clean and told detectives the allegations were false.

Several years ago Brooks, a self-confessed binge-drinker, falsely accused three other men of rape in separate incidents, Newcastle Crown Court was told.

In 2001 and 2002 she made complaints against two former boyfriends and in 2004 she told police she had been raped by a friend's boyfriend.

But the judge said he could not take these earlier incidents into account in passing sentence because she had never been formally cautioned or charged in relation to them.

Brooks, of North Shields, North Tyneside, admitted two charges of perverting the course of justice. She was given a 32-week suspended prison sentence and a three-month night-time curfew.

The court heard she made one complaint on July 31 last year, telling police she had been attacked by a male friend at his home.

The man was arrested and made to give intimate samples, while she underwent examination by doctor and a video was made of her describing her fake ordeal to detectives.

Just a month later on August 30 she made another complaint, saying a different male friend had raped her in her home. The man went through a similar ordeal and she also was medically examined and gave a video statement to police.

It was weeks later, on September 27 that she was arrested and the allegations against the men were formally withdrawn.

Passing sentence Judge David Hodson told her: "The effect of your false complaints was two men were arrested, detained in custody and they had to provide intimate samples.

"They were subjected to a substantial degree of humiliation and a collosal amount of anxiety and worry that they were being charged with an offence that could have resulted in a very, very, lengthy sentence of imprisonment."

He said she had escaped custody by "a hair's breadth." Adding: "I am sure the two men who were the victims of your false complaints would expect you should receive an immediate sentence of imprisonment.

"But I take the view it would be counter-productive in the light of the more stable life you have had recently if I were to do that."

Defence barrister Gavin Doig said Brooks had a history of mental health problems, was an alcoholic and came from a troubled background. He said she was making good progress with the help of mental health organisations.
"She feels guilt and shame very deeply," he said.

After the case Brooks apologised for her actions. Speaking from her ground floor flat, jobless Brooks blamed mental health problems which have affected her since childhood.

She said: "I feel devastated and ashamed of what I have done. I feel very guilty.

"On top of my mental health problems I have had a drink problem for a very long time since I was a teenager though I haven't drunk now for five months.

"When I am sober I know what reality is, but when I am drunk my defences are down and it distorts reality."

She put the rape allegations in July down to 'mental health problems triggering false memories." Explaining the next incident, she said the victim was called "Gary," a man in his 30s who lived in the neighbourhood, and she admitted they had made love consensually at her home.

"When I came off the drink, I realised that neither of the attacks could have happened so I got in touch with the police and told them. I didn't want two people to get into trouble if it hadn't happened.

"Giving up booze has given me clarity of mind and now I feel I am a better person."

She refused to discuss the earlier incidents, but added:'I would like to say I am extremely sorry to those men. I am really sorry for putting them through it."

Woman who cried rape five times is spared jail for perverting the course of justice