A WOMAN who falsely claimed she had been raped has today been jailed for a year.

Elizabeth Wilkinson's allegation resulted in the arrest of an innocent father of two.

The court heard it was all because he had rejected her days after they had consensual sex.

Wilkinson, 21, formerly of Foulridge, and now of Tinkerbrook Close, Oswaldtwistle, first spread her 'vicious lies' about him to people who knew him.

Then she called in police last September and carried on lying even when confronted with the truth and given the chance to change her story.

The real victim in her campaign, David Lord, 23, who had had his fingerprints and DNA taken, lived a nightmare for a month before being told no action was being taken against him by police.

After the case Mr Lord, who now lives in Manchester, said the claims turned his life 'upside down'.

Mr Lord, who said he had had to fight to see his children in the past, said his first thought was for them and not himself.

The dad of two said he had to be put on medication for severe depression and tried to kill himself, once by hanging.

He added: "I just couldn't handle it. Mud sticks."

Mr Lord added: "I think she deserved to go prison for what she put my children through."

He said he now wanted closure and hoped to start his life afresh.

Burnley Crown Court was told the pair, who knew each other from school, had had intercourse at Mr Lord's then home in Colne after Facebook exchanges.

Wilkinson went on to bombard Mr Lord with 80 text messages over a weekend and after she said she wanted to punch his face, he had told her he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Wilkinson had earlier admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice by making a false rape claim.

Sentencing her, Judge Beverley Lunt said rape was a repulsive crime and victims should be treated with every possible consideration by the justice system.

False allegations could have dreadful consequences, she said.

Mark Stuart, for Wilkinson, said she had difficulties and major issues that went back a long way and would need long term psychological therapy.