Ex-girlfriend lied about boyfriend raping her before faking Facebook messages
A woman faked Facebook messages after lying about her boyfriend raping and strangling her.
A Melbourne woman told police her boyfriend had raped and strangled her, and created fake messages to suggest he had admitted to the crimes.
Makaela Bacon’s boyfriend, Bryce Cadby, who only has the use of half of his body, was twice arrested over the allegations, which Ms Bacon had made up in the midst of a “precipitous mental health decline.”
On Monday the court heard that Bacon, 21, told police she was dragged upstairs by Cadby at his house, after she refused to take things further sexually with him, before and after which she was penetrated by Mr Cadby without her consent.
In his room, Bacon told police, Mr Cadby placed his hands around her neck, shortly after which she blacked out.
In a subsequent, more-detailed statement made to police, Bacon told police Mr Cadby had pushed her down stairs after she had told him she wanted to take a break from the relationship.
She pleaded guilty to five counts of perjury in the Victorian County Court on Monday, committed across February and March 2020, when she was 19 years old.
Judge Peter Rosen said he would have Bacon assessed for a community corrections order (CCO) before sentencing her early next month.
The court heard that on February 26 Bacon made a written statement to police at Dandenong Police Station to the effect that her Mr Cadby, twice raped her, strangled her and pushed her down a flight of stairs.
Bacon also pleaded guilty to fabricating messages purportedly written by Mr Cadby, which admitted to the rapes and threatened to kill her.
In March 2020 Bacon attended Werribbee police station, and provided police with a number of screenshots of threatening Facebook messages she said Mr Cadby had sent her.
On March 17 Mr Cadby was arrested and interviewed at Pakenham Police Station, but police become concerned the messages were fabricated after reviewing the contents of his phone.
On April 1, Bacon called police and admitted to fabricating the text messages.
All investigations into Mr Cadby have been closed, documents provided by the court said.
Defence lawyer Tim Marsh said Bacon’s offending occurred during “a period of immense turmoil.”
Mr Marsh said from the age of 18 to 21 Bacon was admitted 1o times to mental health care, and said her offending was not reflective of someone “stable, happy and centred.”
He said Bacon is now working as a stable hand with her mother and is fulfilling her dream of working with horses.
Mr Marsh said she is receiving a substantial amount of support from her mother and stepfather.
“I cannot imagine a higher level of support.”
Judge Peter Rozen QC said they are “serious offences” Bacon committed.
Mr Rozen adjourned the matter until September 13.