To: The prime minister

Introduce “Michael’s Law” to Address Proven False Allegations

We call on the UK Government to introduce “Michael’s Law” to help protect innocent people from the devastating consequences of proven false allegations.

We ask the Government to:

Review whether a register should be created for individuals who have been convicted of offences relating to knowingly making false allegations or perverting the course of justice.
Strengthen penalties for the deliberate fabrication of evidence in criminal investigations.
Ensure that any register includes appropriate legal safeguards, rights of appeal and oversight to protect against misuse.
Support both genuine victims of crime and those who have been demonstrably harmed by malicious false allegations.

Why is this important?

A person who is found by a court to have knowingly made a false allegation or deliberately fabricated evidence can cause irreversible damage to another person’s reputation, career, mental health, relationships and livelihood.

Just as safeguarding measures exist to help protect potential victims in other contexts, there should also be proportionate measures where a court has determined that an individual intentionally made a false allegation or fabricated evidence.

This proposal is not intended to discourage genuine victims from reporting crimes. Most reports of serious offences are made in good faith, and victims must continue to feel able to come forward without fear.

Instead, this petition seeks accountability only in cases where a court has found beyond reasonable doubt that an allegation was deliberately false or that evidence was intentionally fabricated.

Justice depends on protecting both genuine victims and innocent people wrongly accused. Michael’s Law would recognise that both deserve equal protection under the law.