Met PC struck off after false sexual assault claim

A Metropolitan Police officer has been banned from policing after a jury found she falsely claimed she had been sexually assaulted during a stop by a plain clothed officer.

PC Lauren Evans reported in March 2023 that she had been sexually assaulted after being stopped by an unmarked car, but an investigation found that no such stop had taken place.

Evans, from Maidstone, in Kent, was sentenced to 12 months in prison on 2 March after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice at Southwark Crown Court in December.

A misconduct hearing found that Evans should be dismissed without notice.

The hearing, held in January, was told how a police investigation arrested a serving Met Police officer, but he was released the following day after it "became apparent that PC Evans had never been stopped, searched or sexually assaulted".

Evans was serving with the force's South Area Basic Command Unit at the time she made the allegations.

A report from the case's investigating officer said about 30 detectives spent a total of 1,500 hours on the case.

Evans, who did not attend the hearing, maintained in a written response that the stop took place, adding that she "categorically did not allege sexual assault".

The misconduct hearing found Evans was "fully culpable for her actions" and the conviction was "self-evidently very serious".

She was also added to the College of Policing Barred List, meaning she will not be able to work in other forces.

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