Director of Public Prosecutions Christopher Pryde is concerned at the increase in the number of false or malicious complaints being laid with the Police and brought before the courts.

In a statement yesterday Pryde said the Police take sexual assault complaints seriously and when people make false complaints for some ulterior motive the integrity of the criminal justice system is adversely affected.

Over the last two months the Office of the DPP has terminated court proceedings against eight people charged with rape when it was discovered that the complaints in each case had provided false information to the Police.

Seven people are being prosecuted in the courts for a range of offences including giving false information to a public servant and attempting to pervert the course of justice.