Perverting the Course of Justice and Wasting Police Time in Cases involving Allegedly False Allegations of Rape and / or Domestic Abuse
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This guidance addresses how to handle prosecution decisions related to allegations of rape or domestic abuse when claims are made that the allegations are false, have been retracted, or involve a 'double retraction.' It provides insight into the applicable offences, evidential and public interest considerations for prosecutors, and specific handling measures, particularly for sensitive cases involving vulnerable individuals or youths.
Key points
- Prosecution decisions must be made by lawyers in RASSO Units.
- The evidential stage must be assessed before the public interest stage.
- Cases must be handled sensitively due to potential vulnerabilities of the suspect.
- False allegations may lead to severe consequences for the accused.
- Prosecutors must avoid reliance on rape myths in decision-making.
- A history of false allegations must be scrutinized critically.
Public-interest factors
- False allegations motivated by malice increase likelihood of prosecution.
- Perpetrators charged and remanded in custody strengthen the case for prosecution.
- Consistent false allegations may reflect a pattern of behavior warranting prosecution.
- Vulnerabilities of the accused can mitigate against pursuing a case.
- The impact on the victim's reputation should be considered.
- Evidence of coercion or pressure to retract allegations can reduce prosecution likelihood.
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.