Eleanor de Freitas
Police in London were placed in the very
difficult position of accepting a rape complaint by beautiful
23-year-old university student, Eleanor de Freitas, who was
suffering from bipolar disorder. She accused 35-year-old
millionaire and London financier, Alexander Economou, 35, of
rape. Economou maintained his innocence throughout the
investigation. He also brought what is known as a private
prosecution, paying 200,000 British pounds for lawyers to
independently investigate the case to prove his innocence.
Economou's investigation turned up serious
evidence indicating de Freitas had lied about being raped. It
turns out the two had dated. Hours after de Freitas stated to
police she was raped, subpoenaed store security surveillance
tapes from sex toy shop Ann Summers, revealed the couple
laughing, kissing and shopping for erotic items. She did not
look uncomfortable or like she was there against her will. Mr.
Economou paid for the sexually explicit items de Freitas
selected from the store, using his bank card. This was not the
profile of a rape victim, interacting with her alleged rapist.
They looked like a couple buying sex toys.
Alexander Economou
Mr. Economou had broken off the relationship
when he discovered de Freitas was an escort and naked masseuse,
using fake names and giving men, both married and single, naked
massages and possibly sex. As a result, de Freitas vindictively
filed a rape complaint with the police. She was spending loads
of cash in London's high end department store Harrods. Economou
contended de Freitas was selling sex for cash and using the
proceeds to buy expensive items at Harrods, while working for an
average wage at a local store.
Economou subpoenaed store security surveillance
tapes from Harrods revealing de Freitas spending thousands of
pounds, well beyond her wages. He stated de Freitas' parents
were in the dark regarding her double life as an escort and
naked masseuse, as well as her extravagant purchases. Economou
also presented incriminating text messages that revealed de
Freitas was not truthful in her allegations of being raped.
Eleanor de Freitas living a double life as
call girl and naked masseuse "Portia"
Items de Freitas and Economu bought from a
sex shop hours after the time she told police she was raped by
him (photos redacted by the Judiciary Report)
The evidence Economou's investigation unearthed
was so serious, the Metropolitan police took over the
investigation and charged her with filing a false police report
alleging rape. She began turning up for court hearings wearing a
burka, though she is not Muslim. She was also seen sitting on
the floor of a food shop throwing crisps (potato chips) at
people. Her aversion to needles meant she could not take the
therapeutic drug lithium, which is administered to bipolar
patients. Regular blood tests are needed to monitor the levels
of the drug in the patient's system.
Sadly, three days before the criminal trial, de
Freitas killed herself. Her mother discovered her lifeless body
with a suicide note at the family's home in Fulham, a town in
London. de Freitas was terrified her double life as an escort
and naked masseuse, along with the store security tapes and
incriminating text messages, would bring shame upon her family.
Eleanor de Freitas
Her suicide note read, "I know how selfish it
is, but I really feel there’s no way out. If I were to lose the
case, I know that I would have brought huge shame to the family.
It is entirely my fault for what has happened, and there are
many other events that make me make this decision." However,
there was a way out in facing the music, as nothing is worth
taking your life over. She likely would not have faced jail, due
to her preexisting mental illness diagnosis. For women who are
not mentally ill and lie about rape, jail sentences are also not
significant in length.
Sometimes mentally ill people lie and state they
have been harmed, when no such offense occurred. It makes it
difficult for families, mental health authorities, police and
the courts to discern who is telling the truth in such
situations. It also damages the names and reputations of others.
Economou had a right to clear his name. It is regrettable that
things unfolded in this manner for de Freitas.
Eleanor de Freitas
de Freitas was a very pretty girl, with a lot
going for herself. She was mentally ill and had nothing to be
ashamed of in that. She needed help to overcome her problems.
With the proper medication and continuous counseling, she could
have led a full and normal life, free from trouble, escorting
and all forms of self-inflicted exploitation.
This is one of the reasons why it is important
for patients to take their medicine. For those suffering from
mental illness, who will not take their medicine, a
conservatorship is in order to protect the patient and the
public. There are many lessons to be learned from de Freitas
story, with the hope it does not happen in another situation
again.
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