Nikki Yovino sentenced to prison after false rape allegation

An American woman has been sentenced to prison after making false rape allegations.

The woman who police say had a sexual relationship with two college football players in Connecticut and later made false rape allegations to avoid losing a potential boyfriend was sentenced to a year in prison on Thursday.

She agreed to serve the prison sentence when she pleaded guilty to charges of falsely reporting an incident and obstructing police in June, just before jury selection was set to begin.

Ms. Yovino was attending Sacred Heart University in Fairfield when she said she was raped by two of her school’s football players at an off-campus party in Bridgeport in October 2016.

However, according to police, she later admitted that she had made up the allegations in order not to destroy her relationship with another student.

Yovino’s lawyers had said that police had pressured her to make a false confession. Lawyer Ryan O’Neill had previously stated that she had told police that the football players had sex with her against her will, but never used the terms rape or sexual abuse.

Although the football players were never arrested, they both left school because they faced possible disciplinary action.

One of them also lost his football scholarship, according to the players’ lawyer, Frank Riccio III. Both said they had consensual sex with Yovino.

Both players remained anonymous until Thursday, when Malik St. Hilaire stepped forward at the sentencing and confronted Yovino. The Connecticut Post reported that Yovino rolled his eyes and grinned as Mr. St. Hilaire spoke about how the allegations had affected his life.

“I was a college student and suddenly I found myself at home, expelled from school and with no way to clear my name,” Mr. St. Hilaire said.

“I just hope she knows what she did to me. My life will never be the same again. I didn’t do anything wrong, but this changed everything.”

Mr Riccio also read a statement from the second player, whose identity remains unknown.

The player wrote that the last two years have been the most difficult of his life and that he has suffered from depression, anxiety and embarrassment when he lost his football scholarship. He said he is now burdened with $30,000 in debt.

Both players are considering suing Ms. Yovino in civil court.

Judge William Holden expressed his hope that Ms. Yovino would spend her prison sentence reflecting on her actions.

Prosecutor Tatiana Messina said Ms Yovino’s crimes were a “disservice” to the real victims of sexual assault, who are often not believed.

– With AP