I have read, although I cannot immediately race the article, that the majority of persons making false accusations are simply required by the police to pay an administrative penalty of £80. If true, although a minority of false accusers are prosecuted and punished the risk of punishment and a criminal record remains small. The punishments when inflicted are often inadequate: a false accusation of rape can be as damaging to the life of the accused as real rape can be for the victim and there is good argument for making the penalty a for false accusation similar to the penalty which the alleged offence would have meritted. An interesting statistic was presented by the retired head of a police force CID in a talk I attended recently: police de-crime 20% of all allegations of rape: de-criming means, not that they have inadequate evidence for a prosecution or that they have evidence that the sex was consensual, but that they have established that the alleged event never ocurred.

Tony Napier, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Quote: The danger of Gregory’s lies is that they may deter women who have been genuinely attacked from coming forward. Detective Constable Weymouth said: “It is about encouraging real victims to come forward, while reminding people who are thinking of making a false allegation to think again.”

Is he kidding? The real danger is to women? That's absurd! The REAL danger is to men who may be imprisoned for years, and have their lives destroyed. Why is everything about the effect on women? Men have truly been reduced to second class citizens who must prove themselves innocent.

Chris Gustin, Daytona Beach, Florida, USA

I feel this lady should have had a punishment which was appropriate to the ruination of the lives and families of the accused. I have a relative currently in prison for a false accusation of rape, the woman in question having ALREADY gained £40,000 in 'compensation' from a previous man for her lies. She is now hoping to do the same thing, after colluding with other women, to bring about the downfall of my relative.

He is now a man separated from his family and children, has lost his job and is unlikely to work again after these accusations. What can innocent people do to fight back?

This girl deserves severe punishment. I feel very sorry for all men, any of whom could be another accused.

Teresa

Teresa Napier, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands

Last week, every paper printed the statistic that only 6% of all rape allegations lead to a successful conviction. Out of the reports I saw, only Channel 4 news broadcast the complementary statistic that 8% of allegations are dropped after the police establish that they are false.

In other words, out of those allegations for which there was convincing evidence either way, rather more than half were false. This is a problem which needs to be tackled every bit as urgently as increasing the rate of successful convictions for actual rapes.

There is no excuse for allowing Ms Gregory to repeat the same offence so many times, and she should certainly have been picked up after three or four - what are police databases for?

I earnestly hope that in her case and others psychological treatment is enough to stop her from re-offending, but if it is not, then the CPS and the courts really have to grasp this nettle firmly. For everyone's sake.

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

I think it's absolutley ridiculous, that this evil little witch only gets a 12 month suspended sentance. She makes a mockery of women that have been victim of rape and other forms of sexual assaults.

Dan Hobson, Matlock, Derbyshire

One rule for men another for women. Women are consistently treated more leniently than men by the Police, CPS and Judiciary.

This government has increasingly ensured that men are treated as second class citizens.

Jeff, Surrey,

Maybe Cameron should have studied cases like this as with countless others before he jumped in with both feet into a subject far more complex than merely quoting conviction rates.

sean dunne, lincoln,

She is not the first woman to have engaged in this sort of deception. Small wonder, then, that it is so difficult to get convictions in rape cases.

Justinian, Berkshire, UK

I wonder if the Attorney General, Baroness Scotland, will appeal against this sentence?
I don't think so. She only appeals against sentences imposed upon men.

Peterr, Houston, USA

It would seem more just, if those accused of committing rape were to remain anonymous until found guilty. It may not have prevented Paul Haslam losing his job as he was arrested but there have been other cases in the media where someone's character has been tarnished, only to be proven innocent later on.

Those who accuse falsely, and can be proven to have done so knowledgably, should face a sentence similar in length to that which would have been given to the defendant, had the accuser not been found out.

N. McKenzie, Zürich, Switzerland

When a man wakes up after haveing sex with a women, while drunk,he may look at her and say damn did I really ,and say no more about it. Where as a women wakes up and says I must off been raped .The conviction rate is not about the alleged offence more about the verasity of the alleged offence

Ross Fielding, luton, england

The maximum sentence for rape is life .After destroying eight lives why should she not be subject to the same approbation?

Ross Fielding, luton, england

Surely the sentence should be at least equivalent to the sentences her intended victims would have received? To make such accusations falsely is monstrous, and the worse for being clearly premeditated.

I agree that she clearly needs help, but some kind of deterrent signal should also be sent out to any other women tempted to try this kind of thing.

Gill, Southampton, UK

Rape is a crime with heavy political importance. Both Tories and Labour realise that two areas of the electorate matter - marginals and women. Both are likely to change their voting patterns so both exert a disproportionate influence on politicians. As a consequence, politicians are moveing towards a situation where men are virtually being required to prove their innocence. Forturnately, juries have more integrity.

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

She should be charged with rape - that's what she did.

JJ Huthwaite, London, UK

This woman is not an isolated case. Many others try this as revenge, or to clear their own consciences, or in the case of one celebrity, to publicise a book. It is far too easy for a female to cry "rape" and remain anonymous, while the accused man is named and shamed, frequently being placed in a position he cannot recover from.

This sentence reflects the inequality of the system, whereby an evil woman such as this can get away with so much mayhem, destroying the lives of the falsely accused, and their families.

She has done her kind no favours, because this will only increase opposition to special conditions for genuine victims.

All in all her sentence is grossly lenient.

Jack Bloxam, Terra Firma,

She gets 12 months probation for repeatedly trying to get men put in jail against the 5 to 7 years inside if the man is found guilty. That sounds a little lenient to me.

Dr Kevin Law, Dundee, uk