Officer's Sentence Doubled for False Assault Claim

A former Metropolitan Police officer has had her prison sentence increased to two years after fabricating a sexual assault allegation. Lauren Evans, 34, invented the incident to explain why she was late for work in March 2023.

Evans claimed she was stopped by a plain-clothes officer who conducted an intimate search. She provided the fabricated name 'Watson' for her alleged attacker. Coincidentally, PC Alex Watson, an officer who had never met Evans, was driving in the same area that day in an unmarked car.

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As a result of Evans' false claim, PC Watson was arrested and spent 23 hours in custody before being cleared. The investigation into Evans' fabricated story required 30 detectives and took approximately 1,500 hours to conclude that she had been untruthful.

Sentence Increase and Impact

Evans was found guilty of perverting the course of justice at Southwark Crown Court in December. She had initially received a 12-month sentence, but this was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. The sentence was then doubled to two years.

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The judge, Martin Griffith, noted the significant consequences of Evans' actions, stating that she had lost her job and PC Watson's wife had also left her role in the police force. PC Watson stated in a victim impact statement that his wife’s departure was due to the arrest reminding her of the incident.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cutler commented on the case, stating that officers are expected to act with integrity and that lying about serious allegations is unacceptable. He added that such actions undermine the work done to support victims of sexual offences and would not be tolerated.

Evans, who is from Maidstone, Kent, had already been released from prison when her sentence was increased. She was ordered to report to Guildford Police station to be returned to custody.