A WOMAN who falsely claimed she had been sexually assaulted, leading to a 16-year-old boy being arrested and questioned, was spared prison because she had mental health issues.

Sophie Birkett, 20, was repeatedly warned by police that she would be in trouble if she was not telling the truth, but continued to maintain her lies.

Birkett pleaded guilty at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court on Friday to causing wasteful employment of the police by making a false report.

She was given a nine-month community order with supervision and a mental health treatment requirement.

Deputy District Judge Richard Clews told Birkett, of Halifax Road, Keighley, she would probably have gone to prison if it had not been for her difficulties.

But he warned her: "You cannot continue to use those difficulties as an excuse. You have to somehow find a way of stopping doing this. If it goes on, the courts are going to run out of options and have to lock you up."

Prosecutor Paul Ramsay said Birkett phoned police, on November 30 last year, and said she had been sexually assaulted in her room at a hostel in Keighley.

A police constable who knew her warned her making false information would get her into trouble, but she named an individual and stood by her accusation.

She was again warned about making a false allegation, but insisted she was telling the truth, and the 16-year-old male was arrested, the defendant's clothing seized and an investigation started, with statements taken. The teenager was questioned and denied any sexual assault.

Birkett finally admitted the allegations were false on December 19, but could not explain why she had done it.

Mr Ramsay said the defendant had committed similar offences before and since.

In mitigation, Birkett's solicitor, Diana Moore, said all the indications were that her client was suffering from autism and her behaviour was characteristic of her difficulties.

"When she is feeling stressed she will make these inappropriate reports, usually to emergency services, as a way of asking for help," she said.

Deputy District Judge Clews told Birkett: "To make a false allegation that causes someone to be arrested and taken to a police station and questioned is very serious."

After the case, Detective Inspector Stuart Lyons, of Bradford District CID, said: "We need to stress to people that they simply will not get away with making false reports to the police.

"We investigate all reports of crime thoroughly, and people who make up crimes waste valuable police resources and detract officers from helping genuine victims.

"They could even delay our response to a real emergency and potentially put people's lives at risk."