Woman who cried rape is jailed for two years after she lied to police just to hide a one-night stand from her husband

Gaynor Cooke, 41, told police she was suicidal after the imaginary attack in 2003

Her taxi driver lover was due to stand trial next month before she was exposed as a liar



Detectives confronted her and she told them: 'You've got me'

Cooke was jailed for 2 years for her 'pack of lies', judge says

Cried rape: Recorder Shaun Smith has jailed Gaynor Cooke for two years and said her 'pack of lies' almost wrecked the life of her former lover

An unfaithful wife has been jailed for two years - almost a decade after she cried rape just to hide a one-night stand from her husband.



Gaynor Cooke, 41, had told police she was violently attacked by a taxi driver to cover up her fling with him, and her former lover was due to stand trial next month.



No-one was arrested in 2003 because a forensic sample taken from her at the time failed to find a similar profile on the national DNA database.

But when in 2011 the man, who she claimed was a stranger, was detained for a minor offence his DNA threw up a match.

The man she slept with was charged with rape and faced trial at Nottingham Crown Court in February. However detectives received information that Cooke had lied to conceal her infidelity.

And when police went back to speak to the 41-year-old about the new evidence she told them: 'You've got me'.

Cooke, of Corby, Northamptonshire, wiped away tears as recorder Shaun Smith QC jailed her for two years.

The judge said her 'pack of lies' had 'for a short period of time destroyed an innocent life'.

In her 18-page statement reporting the false rape she said her life had been wrecked and she wanted to kill herself.



But the case was abandoned and the taxi driver was 'completely exonerated', the court heard - and 41-year-old Cooke was put in the dock instead.

She was charged with perverting the course of justice between October 25, 2003, and January 20, 2012, after making up a false complaint of rape.



Recorder Smith QC read extracts from statements she had given about her 'ordeal', which she said took place on the front seat of a taxi.



In these she had claimed: 'Since I was raped in 2003, I feel my life has been changed for ever. I'm depressed after what happened to me and often feel suicidal.'

Sentenced: Rashid admitted at Nottingham Crown Court (pictured) that he had sex with a 13-year-old after she 'tempted' him

Recorder Smith told her: 'It's a complete pack of lies. It may only have been for a short period of time, but you destroyed an innocent life.'



The taxi driver was arrested in January 2011, and detectives initially believed they had a prime suspect for the attack on Cooke.



Grace Hale, prosecuting, told the court: 'The police contacted this defendant, who said she was pleased a suspect was identified and wanted to do justice with a prosecution.'



Cooke originally kept up her lie when visited by a policewoman, saying she intended to proceed with her complaint and had nothing to add to her original statements.



The taxi driver told officers he was a single man in 2003 and had consensual sex with women in his home, but had not raped anyone.



However, he was charged with rape and his trial was to take place at Nottingham Crown Court in February 2012.



Finally Cooke admitted she had consensual sex with a taxi driver in 2003. She said she was having problems with her partner at the time and he had been angry when she returned home.



Miss Hale said: 'She told the lie and maintained the lie. She gave no explanation, when asked, why she continued to maintain her lies.'



The court heard the taxi driver had been suspended from work as a result of the charge. The stress of the court case had taken a toll on his health and he had been unable to return to work.



Miss Hale added: 'It was a humiliating experience for him.'



Fiona Tannock, defending, said Cooke had been troubled more and more as time went on, as she was aware that someone was awaiting trial.



She said: 'The defendant could hardly bear to hear the victim impact statement which was read out in the lower court.'



