This week, a man from Leigh in Greater Manchester was wrongly accused of sexual assault. The accusers were two young girls – aged 12 and 13 – and Greater Manchester Police launched a social media campaign to find the man in question.
With his image being shared quickly on Facebook, and with threatening comments being made towards him, the man quickly came forward in order to protest his innocence. The girls that made the accusations then admitted that they’d lied, and have been told to write letters of apology for their actions. Meanwhile, the police are left asking social media users to delete the man’s photograph wherever they can, so that it doesn’t continue to be shared.
What happens next?
In this situation, things aren’t ideal. An innocent man has been subject to an online manhunt, and potentially could have been physically harmed if people had found him and carried out their threats. His picture may still be online in many places, and could resurface and cause trouble in future.
Fortunately, the issue was quickly resolved and the police made public statements to retract their earlier posts. There are many social media posts, and news articles, explaining that the man is innocent.
What if things didn’t go so well?
Anyone that’s been wrongly accused will know that it’s a stressful and potentially dangerous situation for them to be in. In addition, it can be significantly harder to clear your name than it has been in this case.
Private investigators don’t just find evidence to prove guilt. They also work to prove innocence, finding evidence to clear someone’s name.
If you or someone that you know has been wrongly accused of any crime, then speaking to our Preston private investigators could be the best step you take to getting your life back to normal.
Contact EJM Investigations on 01772 334 700.