A mother faces jail after falsely accusing 10 men of rape, with a judge branding her claims a “wicked pack of lies”. Stacy Sharples, of Lucas Road, Bolton, admitted 10 counts of perverting the course of justice after making a series of false allegations which triggered lengthy police investigations.

Some of the men spent hours in police custody, while others were placed on months of bail or released under investigation following the accusations. None of the men were ever charged. The case, heard at Bolton Crown Court, revealed that some of the men had consensual sexual encounters with Sharples while others had no sexual contact with her at all. In one incident, a man she had falsely accused later encountered Sharples in the street after being cleared. She ran into a nearby chip shop and dialled 999, claiming he was threatening to kill her. When the man remarked that police were investigating her instead, Sharples replied: “They’re not pressing charges. I’ve got away with it – yet again.”

But Sharples now faces a prison sentence after admitting the offences, which prosecutors said cost the public purse around £120,000.

Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Clarke KC said the allegations had “blighted” the lives of the men involved.

He told the court: “I want to make it clear to anybody that reads anything about their names anywhere that these men’s lives have been blighted by unfortunate allegations involving sexual offending, none of which are true at all.”

He added: “Only belatedly by her pleas has she now acknowledged that it was all a wicked pack of lies.”

Prosecutor Mark Monaghan said the accusations were made against men she had met through social media and dating sites including Plenty of Fish.

In several cases, Sharples contacted police claiming she had been violently raped, only for evidence such as messages, witness accounts and phone records to contradict her claims.

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One man spent 18 months on bail after she falsely accused him of forcing her to perform a sex act, despite there being no sexual contact between them, the court heard.

Another man was arrested and spent 17 hours in custody after she alleged rape following what turned out to be a consensual encounter.

Further victims were arrested or detained for hours while police investigated the allegations before discovering they were false.

Victim impact statements described the devastating toll the accusations took.

One man said he suffered a mental breakdown, while another revealed he moved abroad to rebuild his life and was separated from his children.

Others said the allegations destroyed relationships, left them ostracised by family and friends, and caused lasting trauma including PTSD.

Judge Clarke said Sharples’ actions had diverted vital resources away from genuine victims.

He said: “I take the view that she was a sexual predator. This has taken resources away from genuine crime and genuine victims.”

Defending, Hunter Gray said there was “no satisfactory explanation” for Sharples’ actions but told the court there had been long-standing concerns about her mental health and intellect.

He added: “It’s not just the harm to these victims, but genuine victims of rape are damaged, as is the wider administration of the criminal justice system.”

Sharples, of Lucas Road, Farnworth, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of perverting the course of justice and was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

She will be sentenced on March 11.