Jemma Beale, who was jailed over false sex attack claims, lost her appeal against her conviction and 10-year jail sentence today
Judge blasts fantasist, 27, for failing to show any remorse for falsely accusing 15 men of rape and sexual assault as she LOSES appeal against conviction and 10-year jail sentence
An appeal court has backed the 10-year jail term given to a fantasist who made false rape allegations against a series of men and thrown out her claims she was wrongly convicted.
Jemma Beale , from Bedfont, west London, was handed the prison sentence for perverting the course of justice and perjury after she made fake sex attack claims against 15 men – one of whom was jailed for two years and another fled the country.
The 27-year-old however continues to protest her innocence and today asked senior judges to overturn her conviction.
Her lawyers told the Court of Appeal that the judge hadn’t warned the jury about the ‘myths and stereotypes’ which swirl around false rape claim cases.
They also claimed, even if she was guilty, she should have been given a shorter sentence because she had been abused as a child.
But Lady Justice Hallett, one of England’s most senior female judges, was one of three judges who dismissed both of the appeals and sent Beale back to prison.
Lady Justice Hallett said: ‘This case went far further then myths and stereotypes about a complainant’s behaviour. The appellant was accused of being a serial liar who fabricated accounts mostly of a sexual nature.
‘In the light of the evidence called even if the guidance was given it would not have assisted the appellant.
‘The system of justice has suffered considerable harm – considerable resources have been spent investigating and prosecuting crimes which never happened. There has been no indication of remorse on the appellant’s part.’
+4
+4
Beale’s lawyers claim the jury in her case were not warned about ‘myths’ surrounding sex attack cases
Earlier in the hearing, Beale’s QC, Gillian Jones, had told the court: ‘The learned judge erred because he failed to give a direction about the dangers of myths and stereotypes.
‘She was the subject of extensive media scrutiny in which she was vilified.
‘The effect of which might have been to further prejudice the jury in the absence of such a direction.
This reporting compounded or could have compounded these myths and stereotypes which were never corrected by way of judicial guidance to the jury.’
Ms Jones argued the jury should have been told at the outset of the trial to disregard ‘pre-conceived’ ideas about rape.
The lawyer referred to a social media post about the case which stated ‘an attractive male does not need to have sex with a whale.’
The judges appeared to accept some of the reporting around the case was ‘sensationalist’, but suggested did not vilify Beale.
+4
Lady Justice Hallett said Beale has not shown a shred of remorse
Beale’s lawyers are also calling for her 10-year sentence to be cut, describing it as excessive.
Ms Jones said the judge did not take account of her past, including abuse she went through as a child.
‘That clearly had a huge impact on this young woman’s life and resulted in a rapid downward spiral.
‘This is a very damaged young lady and it clearly had a large part to play in the way she acted.’
Ms Jones added: ‘The nub of it is whether or not sufficient weight was given to what is clearly an extensive history of difficulty.’
Prosecutor John Price, QC, said the sentence and conviction were both safe and proper.
He reminded the court that how Beale texted her then girlfriend saying she was ‘glorying in his discomfort’ as she was due to give false evidence against a man in court.
During a five-week trial at Southwark Crown Court in 2017, Beale insisted she had been raped or attacked, but a jury found her guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice.
She made her first complaint on the morning of 26 November 2010, when she told police she had been raped by Mahad Cassim the previous night.
Mr Cassim was tried for rape at Isleworth Crown Court in December 2011.
A retrial then took place in January 2012 in front of a fresh jury and he was jailed for seven years.
Mr Cassim served two years because of the ‘grave injustice’ before he was released.
Beale then complained to police she was the victim of two sexual assaults in July 2012 and fabricated similar allegations against six other men in 2013, her trial heard.
Her appeal before Lady Justice Hallett, Mr Justice Warby and Sir John Royce continues.