Makaela Bacon: Woman charged over false rape and assault claims

A young woman in Melbourne’s west allegedly made up claims she was raped by a man, a court has heard.

A young woman is accused of making up claims she was raped by a man, eventually leading to his arrest, a Melbourne court has heard.

Makaela Bacon was charged with perjury and making false statements in April last year after investigators looking into the claims allegedly discovered she had been fabricating evidence.

Ms Bacon is accused of attending police stations in Werribee, Wyndham Vale and Dandenong on eight occasions between February 24 and March 28, making the false reports.

It’s alleged she claimed the man had sexually assaulted her, threatened to kill her and assaulted her with a weapon.

In Sunshine Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, prosecutors said her alleged reports led the man to be arrested on “two or possibly three occasions”.

“No charges were laid in relation to the allegations,” a police prosecutor said.

Suspicions were aroused when a series of text messages, apparently from the accused, were allegedly provided to police by Ms Bacon.

Makaela Bacon is accused of making a series of false police reports alleging sexual assault and violence in early 2020.

“These messages went into elaborate details in relation to the sexual assault,” he said.

“It’s alleged the accused created a false account and sent the messages to herself.”

In court, defence lawyer Ran Zaydan sought to have the matters finalised, with a deal agreed to withdraw 11 charges and have her plea guilty on the remaining two.

“My client made a false police statement in relation ot family violence and rape,” she said.

She argued the alleged offending was not at the “extreme end” of perjury offences and asked for sentencing.

But the presiding magistrate disagreed, saying the allegations were “quite serious” and should be heard in the county court.

“What I‘m hearing concerns me,” she said.

“They’ve had consequences for someone who was (allegedly) arrested on several occasions.”

The request for the matter to be heard summarily — meaning it would be heard in the Magistrates Court and not proceed to the higher courts — was rejected.

Ms Bacon will return to court on September 10.