A teenage girl who made up a story about another driver saying he pretended to be a police officer and ordered her to 'get out of the f****** car' has been sent to a young offenders facility for eight months. In fact the man had just flashed his lights at her because she had not turned on her own lights during torrential rain.
The main was held in police custody for 24 hours and was under investigation for two months after Olivia Johnson, 19, made her allegations. Johnson maintained her account for four days until extensive police investigations found CCTV footage which showed the man was innocent.
Johnson, of Stag Crescent, Blakenall, admitted perverting the course of justice and wept as she was sentenced to eight months detention at a young offenders institute. The encounter between Johnson and the victim happened just after 3pm.
Prosecutor John Brotherton explained the story she had told police, saying: "She said he flashed her numerous times and gestured to pull over. She stopped the vehicle. The driver got out and approached the driver's side of her Polo. She opened the window slightly to talk to him. He said: 'Get out the f***ing car it's a stolen f***ing car. He attempted to open the door. Ms Johnson said: 'It's my car I've got proof it's my vehicle. I will show it to you'.
"The man said: 'Get out right now I'm a police officer'. The defendant asked to see his badge. He replied: 'I don't have a badge' and tried to open the rear door. She attempted to drive off when she received a last thump to her car. She said she feared for her own safety."
Johnson parked up and reported the 'incident' at 6.56pm to police. The motorist was arrested the following day, reports BirminghamLive.
Johnson was unable to pick him out during an identification parade. Mr Brotherton said: "He had only been trying to help by flashing his lights. It has affected his wife and children. He has been in custody for nearly 24 hours.
"He was petrified he was going to be charged. He felt stunned and criminalised. He can't put into words how deeply upset he is about it."
The victim's file was not closed until December 24 despite the Crown Prosecution Service making an 'early decision' not to charge him with impersonating a police officer. Johnson blamed her actions on the death of Sarah Everard, who was kidnapped, raped and murdered by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens in March last year. Mr Brotherton said: "The defendant made references throughout the course of her police interview to her concerns over Sarah Everard, how it impacted on her and why she acted the way she had."
Joshua Purser, defending, said: "The root instigation of this whole tale was a panic attack at the wheel in which she heard voices. These allegations arose rather obscenely from voices she heard at the time."
He added: "She admits to me how stupid she is. The reality is she is not someone so stupid she is beyond rehabilitation."
Judge Melbourne Inman said: "You were keen to portray yourself as a victim. The author of the pre-sentence report recalls you saying you realised what you were saying to the police wasn't true and was false. It wasn't a case of you being deluded."
He added: "Those who commit this type of offence, make big allegations and as a result innocent people are harmed, must expect immediate custodial sentences whatever the mitigation. The offence of perverting the course of public justice undermines the whole of public justice."
Judge Inman reduced the term of detention taking into account Johnson's age, guilty plea and lack of previous convictions. But he ruled there were no 'exceptional circumstances' to justify suspending the sentence.
