A Discussion of the Impact of False Accusations

Unfortunately, false accusations happen regularly within the context of criminal law. Sometimes the false accusations are unintentional like, for example, when there is an incident of mistaken identity. But there are also incidents of malicious false accusation, in which an individual knowingly accuses someone of a crime, knowing full well that this person did not commit the crime.

False accusations can have a tremendous impact on both the person accused and the person doing the accusing. In today’s blog article, we are going to discuss what these impacts can entail.

The Accused

For the accused, being falsely accused of a crime can be a nightmare. One can be investigated by the police, rumors run rampant, and crimes can even go to trial. One can be found guilty of something that person did not do, despite the best efforts of the defence lawyer.

In addition, the worse the crime one is accused of, the worse the headache could be. There is also a considerable stigma associated with assault and, more specifically, sexual assault, domestic violence, and any crimes involving children.

Careers can be ruined, and someone’s reputation can be destroyed, just by being accused of something even if the case never goes to trial. A shadow of doubt can follow the accused around for a lifetime.

The Accuser

Why do people maliciously, falsely accuse others? There are a variety of reasons. Sometimes the accuser is just mentally unbalanced. Sometimes someone just wants to hurt someone else in any way possible. Money or revenge can also be motives.

However, be aware that falsely accusing someone, on purpose, is also a crime and can be prosecuted. If you false accuse someone and money and resources are spent investigating a crime that never occurred, just because you said so, you can be prosecuted. Lying to police is also a crime. In short, the accuser can be charged with several crimes, some of which are indictable offences that can end in long prison terms.

Our best advice is if you have been falsely accused of a crime, hire a criminal lawyer as soon as possible. Let your lawyer be your advocate, and do not try to handle this yourself.

If you have assaulted someone for whatever reason or been charged with any kind of assault, or been accused falsely of a crime, please contact Gagan Nahal for a free consultation in Vancouver at (604) 527-4769 as soon as possible. Mr. Nahal’s law practice focuses on criminal defence law, and he has extensive experience in this area of the law. 

Gagan Nahal is a criminal defence lawyer based in Surrey, British Columbia, although he has represented clients across Canada. He works vigorously and tirelessly defending his clients. 

If you have any questions about this article or you would like to talk to Mr. Nahal, please call him directly at (604) 527-4769.