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The Director of Public Prosecutions is investigating the case of a
woman who killed herself after being prosecuted for making an
allegedly false rape claim.
Eleanor de Freitas, 23, killed herself in April – three days before
she was due to stand trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of making
up an allegation of rape against a man.
The CPS decided to prosecute her after the man reportedly spent
£200,000 on a private prosecution.
The A-grade student, who had bipolar disorder, left her family a note
blaming her fear of giving evidence as a motive for her suicide.
Lawyers for her family have called on the coroner to postpone an
inquest into her death, which was due to start today, so that an
inquiry can be carried out into whether the CPS decision to prosecute
Miss de Freitas contributed to her death.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders, said she was
"very saddened" by the death in a case she described as "one of the
most difficult I have seen".
She added: "I have asked the team which dealt with this case for a
full explanation which addresses all of the de Freitas family's
concerns.
"I appreciate the family's unease which is why I am looking at this
personally in order to satisfy myself of the detail surrounding all
the stages of the case.
"Prosecuting cases of perverting the course of justice in connection
with an alleged false rape allegation is rare, extremely difficult and
always complex and sensitive."
She offered to meet Miss de Freitas' family "to discuss the case and
the law surrounding it".
Miss de Freitas' father, David, told the Guardian that his daughter
had been prosecuted "despite the fact the police did not believe there
to be a case against her".
He added: "There are very serious implications for the reporting of
rape cases if victims fear that they may themselves end up the subject
of a prosecution if their evidence is in any way inconsistent.
"It is of the utmost importance that the CPS consider very carefully
whether such cases are in the public interest."
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police confirmed the alleged rapist
was arrested by police soon after the complaint was made in January
2013 but, due to lack of evidence, he was released and the case was
closed.
Credit: Sky News
