Nelson police say a sexual assault complaint by a woman was fabricated and she will be summonsed for making a false complaint.
The woman claimed a man picked her up when she was hitch-hiking to Nelson on 15 February and drove her to the Maitai Valley where he assaulted her before she escaped.
The 21-year-old said she was trying to get from Richmond to Nelson when she was picked up by a man in his seventies.
Detective Senior Sergeant Wayne McCoy said on Wednesday that a false complaint is disappointing on several fronts.
Mr McCoy said resources that could have been used to investigate genuine complaints were tied up and Nelson people were led to believe they should be fearful for their safety.
