A MUM who sparked a six-week hunt for a ‘rapist’ with her false accusation has been jailed for 18 months.

Amanda Hayes, 26, of Inis Ealga, Shannon, Co Clare, falsely reported to gardai that she was raped by a man wearing a hoodie in the early hours of St Stephen’s Day, 2014, at Drumgeely.

The six-week investigation saw gardai making 30 house calls in Shannon and involved the HSE, phone providers, communications firms and the harvesting of CCTV.

In her complaint, mum-of-two Hayes said her attacker bit her neck and that she punched him on the face and upper body.

In sentencing her to three years, with the final 18 months suspended, for making a false report, Judge Gerald Keys told Ennis Circuit Court yesterday: “To allege that someone falsely raped a person is a serious offence and can lead to dreadful consequences to innocent parties who the allegation is made against.

“Also with Facebook and Twitter, news gets around even if the investigation is done in strict confidentiality.”

The court heard Hayes dialled 999 to report the ‘rape’ and was found sitting outside a Chinese restaurant.

She was taken to the Sexual Assault Unit at Galway University Hospital for a forensic examination.

In her report, Hayes gave the nickname of a man who, it emerged, lived 150metres from where she was found.

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In evidence, Detective Garda Stephen Ryan said: “We called to his home. We spoke to him. He gave an alibi, which was verified by his parents and his girlfriend, that he was home on Christmas night. He never left the house.

“He was quite upset that gardai called to the house. It caused his family huge embarrassment.”

The garda also said Hayes was intoxicated when making the initial complaint but was sober for her formal written statement on December 28.

The court heard the statements had inconsistencies — and phone records made her version of events improbable.

Det Ryan said that Hayes was arrested on another matter in May 2015 and she was interviewed in relation to her false rape allegation.

Asked was she raped, Hayes — who has 59 previous convictions, mostly for theft — replied, “No”, adding: “I don’t know why I said it.”

Earlier this year, Hayes escaped from custody through an open window at Ennis court and was at large for two months.

She got a three-month jail term for that offence in June.

Her counsel said she was on a methadone programme at Limerick Prison.