Kent Facebook Rumor Triggers False Rape Allegation Arrest

A fabricated rape story was posted on Facebook by a tutor in Sittingbourne, Kent, prompting thousands of local residents and a councillor to share the warning. Police investigations found no crime had occurred, leading to the woman's arrest for wasting police time.

The false rumor also sparked a wave of online harassment against local ice‑cream vendor Raja Khan, who was wrongly accused of child abduction and threatened with violence. In a separate incident in nearby Lydd, three men were assaulted while attending a shooting competition, an attack linked to the broader climate of online‑driven hostility.

Authorities emphasized that the misinformation diverted resources from genuine emergencies and highlighted the dangers of rapid, unchecked social‑media amplification.