A massive police operation involving dozens of officers swung into action after a hysterical Perth woman reported a four-year-old boy missing.
Vicky Anderson pleaded for help to trace the child, claiming he had “disappeared” during a shopping trip.
Officers throughout the region were placed on alert and police dogs were brought in for a meticulous search only for police to discover the reports were completely spurious.
On Wednesday Anderson appeared shame-faced in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court and said she could not explain the incident.
The 35-year-old admitted that, on July 27, she falsely told officers that a four-year-old had gone missing from her custody, causing them to devote their time and services in the investigation of a claim she knew to be false.
Anderson, of Moulin Crescent, further admitted that she assaulted a police constable on the same day, kicking him on the leg and repeatedly stamping on his foot.
Depute fiscal Katie Pacholek described how shop staff contacted the police when a barefoot and distressed Anderson pleaded for help in tracing a four-year-old who had apparently gone missing.
She said, “All available police units in the area were instructed to begin searching for the child,” the depute fiscal continued.
“However, attempts to establish what the child had been wearing and what he had been doing were met with complete non-compliance by the accused who repeatedly chopped and changed her story.
“This hampered inquiries into the matter.”‘Bizarre’Detectives began to study CCTV footage from the area, leading them to ascertain that Anderson and her partner had never been in the company of a child.
In fact the child named was found safe and well at a house belonging to his mother’s friend.
Mrs Pacholek said, “As a result of these discoveries the accused was arrested.
“As officers took hold of her she struggled and lashed out, kicking one of them on the leg and stamping on his foot.”
Mrs Pacholek added that 28 officers had spent an estimated 39 hours investigating the fictitious claim.
Solicitor Rosie Scott said there was “no real explanation” for what she termed a “bizarre” crime.
“Miss Anderson and her partner had been drinking far too much,” she told the court.
“She was also on medication and had not been sleeping well.”
She added, “Miss Anderson has never been in trouble before and is now quite horrified by how she acted.”
Mrs Scott said Anderson and her partner “genuinely believed” they were supposed to be looking after the four-year-old at the time and reported him missing in good faith.
She said, “They mistakenly thought the boy was staying with them it is somewhat bizarre.
“She was almost delusional and there is no reasonable or rational explanation.”
She added, “Miss Anderson is really very ashamed about what happened. She has held down a good job in the past as an administrative assistant but had to give it up because it was too much for her.
“Appearing in court has been a real wake-up call for her.”
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said he struggled to comprehend what had happened.
He said, “Someone can have a lot to drink and as a result do something daft.
“But how can you think you had a four-year-old child with you and then think something had happened to that child?
“This is a very serious matter. It involves wasting a significant amount of police time as officers had no option but to take the claims seriously.”
He added, “The fact she may have drunk too much and was on medication is no excuse.”
Sentence was deferred until April 6 for reports.