"Falsely Accused of Violent Rape: How a Fantasist’s Lies Cost Me My Kids and My Reputation"

WHEN Astron Inman was woken by police banging on his door, he had no idea what he could have done.

But the dad-of-three was about to enter a nightmare which would cost him his family and career – and force him to leave the country to start a new life.

Dad-of-three Astron Inman was falsely accused of rape by Stacey SharplesCredit: Focus Features Sharples was jailed for four-and-a-half years in relation to reports against ten separate menCredit: PA

Astron, from Oldham, had been accused of a violent rape by serial liar , after spending just two hours in her company.

He was arrested by police with riot shields and held in a cell for eight hours before being bailed.

The arrest was listed on his DBS and made it difficult for him to find work. His relationship broke down and he was unable to see his children.

Sharples, 31, from Farnworth in Bolton, pleaded guilty of in relation to reports against ten separate men on Monday 2 February 2026 at Bolton Crown Court.

Last week, she was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Astron says: “The sentence is a joke. My life is in a mess, and yet she will probably serve two years maximum. I am relieved it’s over but I can’t just move on. I can’t trust anyone. I can’t be in a relationship because I’m frightened of it happening again.

“Rape is a diabolical crime. It is the worst thing to be accused of. I will struggle to ever be the man I once was.”

Astron and Sharples met in August 2018 after chatting on .

He says: “She was flirty right from the outset and made it clear what she wanted. She sent me photos and intimate messages.

“I was going through a rough patch with my partner, and we were on a temporary break. I had the house to myself and I invited Sharples over.”

The pair became intimate but afterwards Astron became uncomfortable with her behaviour.

He says: “She was very full-on, making references to us being in a relationship. I got the impression she was used to getting her own way. I started to realise I’d made a massive mistake. I felt as though she had trapped me.

“I made an excuse about having an early start and offered to drive her home. She was angry she couldn’t stay overnight and, in the car, she was really quiet. I dropped her off and couldn’t help feeling there was something wrong.”

The next morning, Astron was woken by police banging down his door and surrounding his home.

He says: “I opened the door in my boxer shorts and was arrested for rape. I was stunned.”

Astron was held for eight hours in a cell and questioned at length before being bailed.

‘My life has imploded’

He says: “I showed the police the intimate messages and photos she’d sent to me – she was the one who had propositioned me – but still, I could not disprove her allegation. She said I’d been violent to her, strangling her, before raping her. It was complete fantasy.

“My life was turned upside down. My relationship broke down, I couldn’t see my children. I was panic-stricken.”

Two weeks on, police informed Astron they would not be pursuing the complaint. But the fall out continued.

Astron struggled to find work due to his arrest being on his DBSCredit: Focus Features The dad-of-three fled to Sweden in 2019 to work as a civil engineerCredit: Focus Features

He says: “I felt like a pariah. I couldn’t trust anyone. I had a DBS done for a new job and it came back with ‘arrested for rape’ on it. I was mortified. I had a long spell out of work and had to sell my car to make ends meet.

“In 2019, I went to to work as a civil engineer to get away from the pressure. I lost contact with my family and friends. It was horrific.”

Two years on, Astron returned to the UK but says he will never get back the man he once was.

He says: “I’m anxious and angry all the time, I can’t be in a relationship because I don’t trust anyone. I’m glad it’s all over now, but I can’t just put it all behind me. She can pick up the pieces of her life when she’s released, but I can’t. My life has imploded.”

Astron was in court to see Sharples jailed but feels she ought to have been locked up for far longer.

He says: “She will never understand what damage she has done. The sentence was very light.”

Ten victims

Sharples’ victims, from across Greater , were targeted from 2013 to 2019. Most of the men were arrested and spent time in custody, with some also undertaking intimate examinations, and almost all spending periods of time on police bail or released under investigation.

Sharples falsely accused 10 men of raping herCredit: Andy Kelvin / Kelvinmedia

In their impact statements, the victims described a devastating and long-lasting effect on relationships, careers, and mental health.

Victim Andrew Dearden said: “Although I was released with no further action for the allegations, sometimes I start to think about them, and my depression starts to get worse. I then start thinking about how much easier life would be if I wasn’t here anymore.

“Incidents like what I have just described have happened to me more than once, they have a detrimental effect on my life and cause me to not look after myself.”

Another victim, Jack Byrne, said: “As a result of the allegation, I was signed off work due to stress and anxiety. I was unable to function normally and struggled with constant worry about my future, my reputation, and the possibility of losing everything I had built.

“The stress affected my sleep, my appetite, and my overall mental health. I felt depressed, isolated, and ashamed — even though I knew I was innocent.”

A third victim, Reece Lockett, said: “My life was turned upside down the day I was falsely accused of rape. My mum and dad disowned me. My partner of five years left me. I lost my part-time job.

“The situation affected my mental health a lot. I was constantly stressed and anxious. My mind wouldn’t switch off. I kept thinking about what people believed and how they saw me. I was scared to walk around my own area because I felt labelled. People messaged me on Facebook accusing me of something I didn’t do, and that made me feel isolated and ashamed, even though I knew the truth.”

I hope they [victims] feel a sense of justice

Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland

Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland, who investigated this case, said: “No officer goes into a rape investigation with an intent to pursue the individual making that report, and we do not want genuine rape victims and survivors to think that is what will happen if they were to come forward.

“Genuinely, there is no better moment for a detective then when you secure a conviction for an offence such as rape, as it is amongst the most abhorrent of all offences and can cause lifelong trauma for those that experience it.

“We took the allegations made by Stacey Sharples seriously, explored all lines of enquiry and swiftly made arrests or interviewed of all the men she accused.

“We gave her multiple opportunities to provide further explanation or information to us, after interviews with the men and subsequent evidence uncovered didn’t align with her first recollection, as we understand that trauma can impact how victims and survivors recount their experiences.

Astron claims he ‘can’t be in a relationship’ now because he ‘doesn’t trust anyone’Credit: Focus Features He believes Sharples’ sentence was ‘very light’Credit: Focus Features

“Ultimately, as the evidence continued to demonstrate that the reports were untrue, coupled with the desire for justice from some of the men who had been falsely accused, it was right that we followed the evidence and pursued the individual who had actually committed a criminal offence.

“I would like to pay tribute to the strength of these men, who have endured an experience no-one would ever wish to go through, and done so with dignity. I hope they feel a sense of justice for what happened to them today.

“To anyone out there who has been a victim of rape or any sexual offence, I plead that the actions of Miss Sharples do not stop you from seeking support, whether that be from police, a charity or support service.”