A 17-year-old girl who falsely cried rape and sparked a major investigation by Kent Police has been convicted of perverting the course of justice.

The teenager was given a detention and training order for four months when she admitted the offence before magistrates in Maidstone.

The girl told police that she had been raped on August 27 this year while walking in Tonbridge Road, Maidstone.

She claimed an unknown man had grabbed her near the junction of Westree Road, where he carried out the sex assault.

Police set up a major incident room after the report and made several media appeals for information.

A man was arrested on suspicion of rape and questioned by police before being released on bail.

The investigation about to him was later dropped. Senior Investigating Officer, Det Ch Insp Anne Brittain, said: “We take any report or allegation of rape extremely seriously and instigate a full investigation.

“We set up an incident room where we had a large team of officers and support staff investigating the allegation.

“It was through the investigation that it became clear it couldn’t have happened as reported.

“An allegation of rape is a serious offence for any man to face. He was arrested and interviewed and it turned out that it was down to a false allegation.

“It’s disappointing that this allegation was made and it’s a pity that he was subjected to that.

“Undoubtedly, there was public alarm caused by the report of this offence.

“People would be affected when they went out for an evening, thinking a sex attacker remained at large.

“However, we still want to encourage women to come forward to report these crimes and we undertake to investigate any allegations.”

The girl who made the false claim cannot be named for legal reasons.