Shrewsbury woman made up story of handbag theft on first date

Lyndsey Cook, of Oaklands, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, went on a date with Jonathan Williams in Whitchurch on April 7 this year.

But the night ended with Cook contacting the police and accusing Mr Williams and his friend, Nathan Nicholson, known as Peck Head, of robbing her.

The pair were arrested and spent 10 hours in custody. Cook later admitted that she had made the whole thing up.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court on Friday, Cook, 23, was sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work by Judge Peter Barrie.

He said: "As a result of your false complaint two men spent 10 hours in custody for an offence they didn't commit.

"It is baffling to try and work out why you did this.

"I can't see any way you befitted from this. This is a very peculiar case."

Cook admitted perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing.

Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said: "This was a first date between her and Mr Williams.

"They've gone out to Whitchurch and consumed a vast quantity of alcohol."

Mr Jones said they were walking home and bumped into Peck Head. The two men then ran off. Cook, now alone at 2am in the morning, went to the nearest house and claimed she had been robbed.

Mr Stephen Scully, for Cook, said she had panicked.

He said: "She was drunk, isolated and scared.

"It wasn't malicious but an act of great stupidity."

Cook and Mr Williams are still an item, the court heard.