To try to cut a very long story short many years ago while I was teaching a young male member of staff was accused by a girl of inappropriate touching.
After thorough investigations by the head and the police the conclusion was that it didn't happen. The mother continued to spread the accusation.
My colleague had a breakdown and then decided to give up teaching because he couldn't face the possibility of another false accusation. All the staff were behind him and supportive but he felt he couldn't carry on. It took some years for him to recover but he took up a different career and eventually married and had a family.
He's contacted me for some advice. The girl has tracked him down and written to him admitting she made it up and apologising for the trouble she caused. This has been weighing on her mind, she says. She begs him for his forgiveness.
He feels he cannot forgive her. She had every chance to withdraw the accusation but kept changing her story whenever the latest version was questioned. She says she doesn't know why she did it other than he was too popular. She was 14 at the time.
His inclination is to ignore but a part of him wants to tell her that she nearly wrecked his life and he cannot possibly forgive her all these years later. She would be in her 40s now.
I think he should just ignore and not respond. His worry is that if he does that she will persist. Or even worse turn up at his door.
I don't think any purpose will be served by telling her he cannot forgive her and to ignore is for the best. His wife feels the same way.