A WOMAN has admitted making up an allegation of a serious sexual assault at a park in Keighley.

Sophie Birkett pleaded guilty to a charge of causing wasteful employment of police, when the charge was put to her at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

The 20-year-old had alleged, on October 17, that she was sexually assaulted in Victoria Park the previous night.

She had told police that it had taken place at about 10pm on October 16. The court did not hear the particulars of the case, but it was told that Birkett maintained the allegation until October 21.

Detective Inspector Tony Nicholson, of Bradford District CID, said: "We need to stress to people that they simply will not get away with making false reports to the police.

"We investigate all reports of any crime extremely thoroughly, and people who make up crimes waste valuable police resources and detract officers from genuine victims.

"They could even delay our response to a real emergency and potentially put people's lives at risk."

The morning after the supposed sexual assault, a forensics tent was in place near the park's basketball courts, close to the boundary wall with Bradford Road.

Part of the footpath was cordoned off to pedestrians and the scene was guarded by a police community support officer.

Chief Inspector Suzanne Akeroyd, of Bradford District Police, said at the time: "We are investigating a report of a serious sexual assault on a 20-year-old woman.

"Specially trained officers are liaising with the victim to establish the full circumstances and enquiries are ongoing."

Birkett, of Richmond Street in Keighley, also has another offence of wasting police time hanging over her, the court heard. She appeared at Wakefield Magistrates Court on October 6.

She will be sentenced for both matters at the court in Wakefield on December 10.

District Judge Susan Bouch told Birkett: "It is in your interests that these offences are sentenced together at one court."

Birkett was released on conditional bail to sleep each night at Richmond Street, to sign-in at Keighley police station, and to abide by a 9pm to 7am curfew.