Bristol rape accused: False claim made my life hell
A recovering addict from Bristol was driven back to drink and drugs after being accused of a rape he did not commit.
Robert Bosley said he struggled to cope with the stigma of being a suspected sex offender.
As previously reported by the Bristol Post, the 38-year-old's former partner Mandy Whittle, falsely accused him of rape for reasons known only to her.
She later admitted making it up and last week was jailed for eight months for perverting the course of justice.
Speaking exclusively to the Post Mr Bosley, now living in Broadlands Drive, Lawrence Weston, said the rape claim that put his life in limbo for a month.
He admitted he had served several prison sentences for burglary to feed a drug addiction, but had suddenly found himself in the frame for a very different crime.
Whittle, 38, of Park Walk, Pill, told police Mr Bosley forced his way into her home, tore off her clothes and raped her.
Police found a heap of seemingly convincing evidence, from torn underwear to vomit in a washing up bowl and a fresh cut on Whittle.
But Whittle did not consent to a physical examination and said she could not pursue the allegation because of "stress".
Meanwhile Mr Bosley was arrested, put in a cell under constant watch, and subjected to a physical examination by a woman police doctor, having been refused a male nurse, which he said made him feel "violated".
Mr Bosley was interviewed by CID, given bail, and put his life on hold for a month until he was told police were not pursuing the offence.
In December last year he was told he was needed as a witness in a trial because Whittle had been charged with perverting the course of justice – but she pleaded guilty on the day of the hearing.
It was the final stop in a relationship which seemed to start well.
Mr Bosley said: "I met Mandy in 2006, through mutual friends, and it was OK. I'm an ex-heroin addict and when I met her she was an ex-addict, from heroin and crack cocaine.
"I moved in with her at her house in Pill for three or four months but she started telling lies and using drugs. She was getting stoned out of her face and spending the shopping money on drugs.
"I started using drugs on odd occasions. It put a lot of strain on the relationship."
Mr Bosley said the pair of them got into a fight and he "back-handed her" when she went for him.
Police were called, he later pleaded guilty to common assault and, in November 2007, was sent to HMP Bristol in Horfield for just over five months.
When Mr Bosley was released in early 2008 he went to a dry house in Fishponds called Lazarus House, where he began to tackle his addiction and tried to turn his life around before the rape allegation was made in May.
Over the weekend the rape claim was made, Mr Bosley said he had been shopping in Keynsham and to a narcotics anonymous meeting on Saturday followed by more shopping and another meeting on Sunday.
"I got back to Lazarus House around 1.30pm and the police turned up around 2.30pm saying they were arresting me on suspicion of rape," he said.
"My heart was in my mouth. They said it was Mandy Whittle who'd accused me and I told them I hadn't seen her for seven or eight months, I hadn't done anything."
Even though the dry house staff and friends vouched for his whereabouts, Mr Bosley was arrested, taken to Trinity Road police station, put in a cell, examined and interviewed before being released on police bail after six hours.
He said: "The police said I had nothing to worry about and they would investigate it fully.
"For the next month, though, I was getting snide comments from people I didn't even know.
"My friends knew I wasn't capable of doing a thing like that but there were snide remarks because other people were thinking there was no smoke without fire.
"I ended up getting kicked out of Lazarus House when I had a drink because it spannered my head.
"All said and done, for a month it was very stressful, very depressing and my life was in limbo. It was like a big black cloud hanging over me and I hit the bottle a bit and relapsed into drugs."
Mr Bosley believes sense prevailed when Whittle's legal team saw the evidence from people he was with that weekend as well as CCTV and receipts which put him in Keynsham at the time.
He said: " If I wasn't at Lazarus House at the time and with some good people, as opposed to junkies, I could have been remanded in custody for six or seven months on a sex offender's wing. Any good name I could have had would have been taken for the rest of my life.
"Rape is an evil, heinous crime. Being labelled a nonce or a rapist is not very nice. There is a stigma attached to it.
"Crying rape is just an evil thing to do. To me it's just as bad as doing it.
"What concerns me is women who are raped might not come forward because of women like her."
Mr Bosley is now free of heroin but takes a methadone prescription to stay clean. He does have a drink, but says he is not an alcoholic and he does not smoke cannabis.
"Now I want to get myself into a dry house then find my own accommodation, go to college and be a drugs counsellor," he said.
"I think Mandy's eight months should have been a lot longer.
"She's just a no good piece of work and I hope I never see her again."
20 Comments
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by Karen, Bristol
Friday, March 20 2009, 9:49AM
“And police wonder why only 25% of rape victims come forward... Because there are people always ready to make a mockery and take advantage of a support system created for GENUINE cases.
As for the young man involved... If you are innocent then there was nothing to worry about, why use this accusation as an excuse to go back to drugs??? Just admit its what u wanted to do. I am so fed up with people making excuses for drug and alcohol abuse. We have all got problems, millions of us have had and are having a hard life. Deal with it innit.”
by Big Poppa, St George
Tuesday, March 03 2009, 2:05AM
“My symapathy goes out to this fella, all too often women make false claims in an effort to settle old scores. My brother spent over 3 months in jail on remand over a similar accussation from a partner he was with for 17 years. I myself was recently acquitted from court for a false allegation by a former partner sharing a similar name to the assailant.
I agree the law has to protect the vulnerable, however in this case and the others I mentioned there has been no evidence to substantiate the claims. The CPS and Police go into overdrive trying bring a conviction in suc cases.
When will they start exercising common sense and gather sufficient evidence before slinging innocent men in jail. There are some bitter women who choose to use vindictive methods to trap former spouses by the law. As the saying goes hell hath no fury than a women scorned.”
by geoffrey, lw
Tuesday, March 03 2009, 1:50AM
“in reply to jonny i cant say i dont agree with you.however you all seem to be under the impression there was money involved this is not the case no money was paid to him its just his side of the story and yes he is wrong to blame her for his habbits which i know were there a long time before she was ever on the scene he has no defence for that but its still not about getting money to support those problems he is just trying to prove to some uneducated halfwits that it was him that is innocent its sad he feels that he should have to go to these lengths.but considering the charges he faced and the fact that an ex criminal junky still holds such a henious crime with such regard shows that despite common opinion he still has morals as strong as any of us in this subject.he still feels that this would ruin his reputation which would concern any of us of course.i have to add how many of you have stopped to wonder how many innocent men there could be becouse some evil thinking women have done this to them,how many times have you heard of a girl screaming rape becouse thier boyfriend found out they were cheating and how many idiots do you think would have worn it through so called love.no storys like this should be investigated properly and in this case thankfully it was and should be brought to the publics attention have you any idea how people treat people that are supposed to be guilty of such crimes and in the criminal world this sort of crime is only punishable by serious violence and not just to that person often thier famillies and friends also suffer the consequences for stories that may or maynot be true.i would ask you all to consider all these things before making judgment”
by Johnny Hooper, Australia
Monday, March 02 2009, 7:29PM
“Typical junky shenanagans from both of them. Neither deserve sympathy, what she did was terrible falsely accusing him og rape, however he has caused misery to many others to by thieving to support his drug habit. He's externalising his own weakness by blaming her for his inability to control his addiction to alcohol and heroin.”
by Oli, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 5:02PM
“Sorry if i offended you! The world is not aware of Jade Goody! only the UK and maybe a couple of other English-speaking countries. She makes you proud to be Bristish!? are you from East Angular or something?”
by Mr Happy, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 4:55PM
“As Jade Goody is dying and making money for her children and also making the world more aware of cancer I take my hat off to her, she has shown her metal. European, this man is just another junkie and in fairness I hope he gets off it, however I have to say very rare, so if you criticise anyone look no further. As for Jade Goody she makes me very proud to be English.”
by European, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 4:28PM
“I don't have any issues with him trying to clear his name, even if he is getting some money for it! I'd rather that than see Jade Goody make money everytime she farts!”
by RoninNorfolk, Norfolk
Monday, March 02 2009, 3:47PM
“Why isn't their a picture of her? Se is the one who has committed a terrible crime!”
by Mike, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 3:00PM
“Havn't got alot of sympathy here. Having had dealings with this woman, she is pure scum and if you mix with people like that you play with fire, if you play with fire you get burnt.”
by Mike, Bristol
Monday, March 02 2009, 2:35PM
“I would have hoped to see the Shirley Brown case still front page news, however like most things it will be swept under the carpet, due to her not being white. As she said in the sun,"How can I be racist, I'm black." Oh how diffrent it would have been Shirlley if you were not.”