A claim by a teenage girl that she was abducted in Brightwater last week has turned out to be false, say police in Nelson.
The 16-year-old said she had been dragged off the street into a car by a man last Wednesday night, but fought him off when he tried to assault her.
Detective Senior Sergeant Wayne McCoy says it was frustrating to find that, after many hours of investigation, the story was made up.
Mr McCoy says he has recommended that the girl be charged, but the decision is up to the youth aid section.