Woman fined over baby death claim

Police in Devon have fined a woman for wasting police time for falsely claiming her baby sister had been killed 30 years ago by being smothered.

The 32-year-old from the North Prospect area of Plymouth also told officers that she had been sexually assaulted by a family member.

Her claims sparked what police called a "protracted" inquiry which led to inconsistencies coming to light.

The woman eventually withdrew her complaint and she was fined £80.

Det Sgt Justin Clifford said: "Such allegations must be taken seriously and despite the time lapse we'll do all we can to verify someone's account of a crime.

"In this case those meticulous inquiries led to the officers doubting the voracity of the claim and the woman retracted her allegation when confronted with the evidence.

"We encourage people to come forward and report crime but time wasters must realise, you'll be found out."