A Harrogate man has been sent to prison after orchestrating an abhorrent campaign of lies and making false reports to the police about a Scarborough man.
Victor Wild, 32, of Mayfield Road spread his lies and misinformation through social media, emails, and at one point tried to convince newspapers to print his fake stories.
He took elaborate steps to spread what were horrendous allegations using made up names of people claiming to have witnessed serious sexual crimes perpetrated by the victim and reported them to the police.
At one point, using a pseudonym, he claimed to be an investigative journalist investigating the made-up allegations and asked the police to comment on why the victim and a second man were not in jail.
As you would expect, detectives in Scarborough initially treated what were very serious allegations as genuine and launched a thorough investigation into the various crimes reported to them.
However, the claims soon unravelled as investigators found no evidence to back them up but found much evidence that led straight back to Wild.
Wild was arrested and once charged, police applied for him to be remanded in custody until his trial due to the relentless nature of his false reports that they believed would continue, the detrimental effect on the victim and people around him, and the significant impact on police resources.
He initially pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice but changed his plea to guilty. He was sentenced at York Crown Court to three years and four months’ imprisonment on 16 August 2024.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Tim Bentley of Scarborough CID, said:
Wild’s elaborate and warped campaign of lies resulted in extreme distress for the victim, severely impacting his mental health, his daily life and that of the people around him.
Wild also wasted hours and hours of police time and resources, creating significant demand on police officers and police staff whose time was diverted from genuine reports of crime.
I am pleased to see him locked up for a significant amount of time and be exposed for the dangerous liar that he is.
I hope the victim feels relief that this has come to an end and that he and his family can move on with their lives following a period that has been extremely stressful and distressing.
Wild was also charged with controlling and coercive behaviour in relation to a second victim but this was allowed to lie on file by the court.
He was also charged with intentional strangulation in relation to a second victim but was found not guilty of this offence.
He was issued with restraining orders forbidding him to contact either of the victims in person or online, until further order.
