Samantha Murray-Evans (pictured), 44, has been jailed for falsely accusing a hero police officer of rape when he rejected her after their one night stand

A mother who falsely accused a hero police officer of rape after a one night stand has been jailed for 27 months.

Samantha Murray-Evans, 44, told the 'wicked lie' in revenge at being rejected by PC Paul Morgan after they met on the dating website Plenty of Fish.

A court heard Mr Morgan broke off their fling when she sent him sordid messages and pictures of her breasts after their first and only date.

When Murray-Evans felt she had been spurned by the officer she went to the police and accused him of raping her, Swansea Crown Court heard.

Mr Morgan, 52, who won a bravery award for saving a woman from drowning in a river, was arrested at home by his own colleagues, held in a cell for 24 hours and suspended for five weeks while the allegation was investigated.

He even considered suicide. He may well have been convicted of rape were it not for the discovery of flirtatious WhatsApp messages sent by Murray-Evans after their one-night stand three years ago.

PC Paul Morgan (pictured), 52, was arrested after the allegations came to light. He was held in a cell for 24 hours and even considered suicide

The court heard she thanked him, saying 'the sex was great' and that he had made her toes curl.

She then turned up at his home the day after their date, but sent him aggressive messages after he asked her to leave.

Prosecutor Catherine Richards said: 'The messages led police to believe this was a false allegation and the matter against him was dropped.'

Murray-Evans, a mother of two from Swansea, was jailed last Friday after admitting carrying out acts intending to pervert the course of justice.

She wept as Judge Paul Thomas QC said her 'planned, persistent and callous' lies had ruined Mr Morgan's career and left him depressed and suicidal.

Judge Thomas said: 'It is difficult to think of a much more wicked lie than to accuse someone of rape.

'You felt rejected by Mr Morgan after a very brief sexual encounter. It is clear you wanted more – you wanted a relationship with him so you decided to get your own back in the most vicious way.'

He added: 'The worrying fact is that had you not sent the WhatsApp messages it would have been your word against his with an unpredictable outcome.

'You knew this would have a devastating effect on him, especially as he is a serving police officer – that was very much in your calculation.

'He underwent five weeks of torment, there was embarrassment and fear for his career and liberty, and he contemplated suicide.

'His future career is very much in the balance, all as a result of what you did.'

Murray-Evans was told that her false allegations had undermined genuine victims of sex attacks.

Mr Morgan, who was in court to watch Murray-Evans sentenced, gave a victim impact statement describing the trauma of being arrested by police at his home at 11.40pm.

Murray-Evans was handed 27 months behind bars at Swansea Crown Court (pictured)

He said: 'They woke me up by shouting my name. I opened the front door and seven police officers said they were there to investigate me.

'I was in shock, these are people I know. Spending 24 hours in police custody was hell. I was suicidal – the only reason I didn't go through with it was that my parents are still alive.'

The career police officer, who is off work with anxiety and depression, said he had been called a rapist in the street and was considering moving home.

After the hearing he said: 'I will never be able to go on frontline duty and I will struggle to do whatever job they give me now.

'I am on medication and have been since the allegation was made and I see a counsellor regularly. The last three years have been sheer hell.

'What Murray-Evans did is horrendous. When someone runs a check on my name an arrest for rape comes up, that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

'When I go through airports I don't know what's coming up on the check. I have been stopped and waited a longer time when most people pass through. You're paranoid all the time.'

His fiancee, who he met since his brief fling with Murray-Evans, was in court with him. The pair are due to marry next year.