Opinion
PETERS, J.
This appeal concerns the preliminary showing that a defendant in a sexual assault case must make before he may cross-examine a constancy of accusation witness with respect to the victim’s alleged prior false complaint of sexual assault by another person. The state charged the defendant, John W. Sullivan, with sexual assault in the first degree pursuant to General Statutes § 53a-70 (a) (l)1. After a jury trial, he was found [642]*642guilty and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, execution to be suspended after five years.
The defendant appealed from the judgment of the Appellate Court, which, in a per curiam opinion, had affirmed the trial court judgment against him.2 State v. Sullivan, 44 Conn. App. 902, 688 A.2d 368 (1996). In response to his petition for certification to appeal, we granted certification limited to the following issue: “Whether the Appellate Court correctly concluded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding evidence regarding a constancy of accusation witness?”3 State v. Sullivan, 240 Conn. 919, 692 A.2d 812 (1997). We affirm the judgment of the Appellate Court.
The jury reasonably could have found the following facts. In the summer of 1992, the defendant, then a Massachusetts state trooper, was married to the victim’s first cousin. The victim was working part-time as a bookkeeper and part-time as an exotic dancer. She had done some modeling, including posing for nude photographs. On July 1, 1992, the defendant contacted the victim and told her that, along with twenty-five other people on a “secret indictment list,” she would be charged with telephone solicitation, drug trafficking, racketeering, prostitution and illegal pornography. The defendant stated that the police had copies of some of the victim’s nude photographs, and that she was facing three to six years in prison. He told her that if she cooperated with him, he could have her name removed [643]*643from the secret indictment list. The victim did not learn until September 15,1992, that the defendant’s representations were baseless. In the meantime, frightened by their apparent import, especially by the threat of criminal prosecution, she accompanied the defendant to various places, including a location in Connecticut, where he forced her to engage in sexual intercourse. When she discovered the true facts, she reported these events to the state police in both Connecticut and Massachusetts.
At his trial for having committed those sexual assaults, the defendant submitted a motion in limine requesting that the court allow him to cross-examine the victim and her father. The defendant sought the opportunity to cross-examine those two witnesses with respect to a statement that the father had made to the police. That statement represented that the victim had been sexually assaulted once before, in 1990, and that the Worcester, Massachusetts police had handled that investigation. Defense counsel informed the court that discussions with the Worcester police had revealed that they had no record of a complaint by the victim regarding this alleged prior incident. In support of his motion, the defendant submitted a copy of the father’s statement to the police in the current case, and a letter from the Worcester police confirming that they had no record of a previous sexual assault investigation concerning this victim.
The trial court denied the defendant’s motion. The court noted that this alleged prior sexual assault complaint had been mentioned only in a statement by the victim’s father, not in the victim’s own testimony. The court reasoned that cross-examination of the victim and her father regarding this collateral incident would be irrelevant and distracting. We agree with the Appellate Court; State v. Sullivan, supra, 44 Conn. App. 902; that the judgment of the trial court should be sustained.
[644]*644In his appeal to this court, the defendant claims that, contrary to the conclusion of the Appellate Court, the trial court abused its discretion in disallowing this line of questioning. He asserts that the proffered evidence was relevant to show that the victim had lied to her father about an official investigation. According to the defendant, the fact that the victim’s father had testified on her behalf as a constancy of accusation witness gave the defendant the right of cross-examination about the prior investigation. The defendant further argues that this line of questioning would not have violated Connecticut’s rape shield law, General Statutes § 54-86f,4 because the relevant inquiry would have focused, not on the occurrence of a sexual assault in 1990, but on the victim’s alleged misrepresentation to her father about the existence of an official investigation. Finally, the defendant argues that, because the doctrine of constancy of accusation permits witnesses to present hearsay testimony to corroborate the victim’s story, the [645]*645defendant should be allowed broad latitude to cross-examine such witnesses to determine whether the victim had lied in the past about matters of similar gravity.
The constancy of accusation doctrine is well established in Connecticut and recently has been reaffirmed by this court. See State v. Troupe, 237 Conn. 284, 297-98, 303-304, 677 A.2d 917 (1996); State v. Kelley, 229 Conn. 557, 565, 643 A.2d 854 (1994); State v. Dabkowski, 199 Conn. 193, 199-203, 506 A.2d 118 (1986). The doctrine originally was premised on the arguably inaccurate premise that, if a woman had been sexually assaulted, it would be “natural” for her to confide in others.5 See, e.g., State v. De Wolf, 8 Conn. 93, 99 (1830). Until State v. Troupe, supra, 304, we permitted witnesses to testify about the details of a victim’s accounts of the alleged sexual assault on the theory that, if the victim’s story were true, “the evidence would show constancy in the charge even to the details, and the truth would the more clearly appear.” State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 156-57 (1876); State v. De Wolf, supra, 99. In State v. Troupe, supra, 284, however, we restricted the doctrine so that a constancy of accusation witness could testify only to the fact and the timing of the victim’s complaint. Even so limited, the evidence would be admissible solely for corroboration of the victim’s testimony, and not for substantive purposes. Id., 304.
Notwithstanding our decision in Troupe, we recognize that the constancy of accusation doctrine creates a tension between competing well recognized principles. It remains a powerful weapon in the state’s arsenal [646]*646to secure justice for victims of sexual assaults. It also, however, constitutes a potential threat to the accused’s right of confrontation under the sixth amendment to the constitution of the United States and under article first, § 8, of the constitution of Connecticut.6
7To resolve this tension, the defendant must be allowed an adequate opportunity to cross-examine constancy of accusation witnesses.
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Opinion
PETERS, J.
This appeal concerns the preliminary showing that a defendant in a sexual assault case must make before he may cross-examine a constancy of accusation witness with respect to the victim’s alleged prior false complaint of sexual assault by another person. The state charged the defendant, John W. Sullivan, with sexual assault in the first degree pursuant to General Statutes § 53a-70 (a) (l)1. After a jury trial, he was found [642]*642guilty and sentenced to ten years imprisonment, execution to be suspended after five years.
The defendant appealed from the judgment of the Appellate Court, which, in a per curiam opinion, had affirmed the trial court judgment against him.2 State v. Sullivan, 44 Conn. App. 902, 688 A.2d 368 (1996). In response to his petition for certification to appeal, we granted certification limited to the following issue: “Whether the Appellate Court correctly concluded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding evidence regarding a constancy of accusation witness?”3 State v. Sullivan, 240 Conn. 919, 692 A.2d 812 (1997). We affirm the judgment of the Appellate Court.
The jury reasonably could have found the following facts. In the summer of 1992, the defendant, then a Massachusetts state trooper, was married to the victim’s first cousin. The victim was working part-time as a bookkeeper and part-time as an exotic dancer. She had done some modeling, including posing for nude photographs. On July 1, 1992, the defendant contacted the victim and told her that, along with twenty-five other people on a “secret indictment list,” she would be charged with telephone solicitation, drug trafficking, racketeering, prostitution and illegal pornography. The defendant stated that the police had copies of some of the victim’s nude photographs, and that she was facing three to six years in prison. He told her that if she cooperated with him, he could have her name removed [643]*643from the secret indictment list. The victim did not learn until September 15,1992, that the defendant’s representations were baseless. In the meantime, frightened by their apparent import, especially by the threat of criminal prosecution, she accompanied the defendant to various places, including a location in Connecticut, where he forced her to engage in sexual intercourse. When she discovered the true facts, she reported these events to the state police in both Connecticut and Massachusetts.
At his trial for having committed those sexual assaults, the defendant submitted a motion in limine requesting that the court allow him to cross-examine the victim and her father. The defendant sought the opportunity to cross-examine those two witnesses with respect to a statement that the father had made to the police. That statement represented that the victim had been sexually assaulted once before, in 1990, and that the Worcester, Massachusetts police had handled that investigation. Defense counsel informed the court that discussions with the Worcester police had revealed that they had no record of a complaint by the victim regarding this alleged prior incident. In support of his motion, the defendant submitted a copy of the father’s statement to the police in the current case, and a letter from the Worcester police confirming that they had no record of a previous sexual assault investigation concerning this victim.
The trial court denied the defendant’s motion. The court noted that this alleged prior sexual assault complaint had been mentioned only in a statement by the victim’s father, not in the victim’s own testimony. The court reasoned that cross-examination of the victim and her father regarding this collateral incident would be irrelevant and distracting. We agree with the Appellate Court; State v. Sullivan, supra, 44 Conn. App. 902; that the judgment of the trial court should be sustained.
[644]*644In his appeal to this court, the defendant claims that, contrary to the conclusion of the Appellate Court, the trial court abused its discretion in disallowing this line of questioning. He asserts that the proffered evidence was relevant to show that the victim had lied to her father about an official investigation. According to the defendant, the fact that the victim’s father had testified on her behalf as a constancy of accusation witness gave the defendant the right of cross-examination about the prior investigation. The defendant further argues that this line of questioning would not have violated Connecticut’s rape shield law, General Statutes § 54-86f,4 because the relevant inquiry would have focused, not on the occurrence of a sexual assault in 1990, but on the victim’s alleged misrepresentation to her father about the existence of an official investigation. Finally, the defendant argues that, because the doctrine of constancy of accusation permits witnesses to present hearsay testimony to corroborate the victim’s story, the [645]*645defendant should be allowed broad latitude to cross-examine such witnesses to determine whether the victim had lied in the past about matters of similar gravity.
The constancy of accusation doctrine is well established in Connecticut and recently has been reaffirmed by this court. See State v. Troupe, 237 Conn. 284, 297-98, 303-304, 677 A.2d 917 (1996); State v. Kelley, 229 Conn. 557, 565, 643 A.2d 854 (1994); State v. Dabkowski, 199 Conn. 193, 199-203, 506 A.2d 118 (1986). The doctrine originally was premised on the arguably inaccurate premise that, if a woman had been sexually assaulted, it would be “natural” for her to confide in others.5 See, e.g., State v. De Wolf, 8 Conn. 93, 99 (1830). Until State v. Troupe, supra, 304, we permitted witnesses to testify about the details of a victim’s accounts of the alleged sexual assault on the theory that, if the victim’s story were true, “the evidence would show constancy in the charge even to the details, and the truth would the more clearly appear.” State v. Kinney, 44 Conn. 153, 156-57 (1876); State v. De Wolf, supra, 99. In State v. Troupe, supra, 284, however, we restricted the doctrine so that a constancy of accusation witness could testify only to the fact and the timing of the victim’s complaint. Even so limited, the evidence would be admissible solely for corroboration of the victim’s testimony, and not for substantive purposes. Id., 304.
Notwithstanding our decision in Troupe, we recognize that the constancy of accusation doctrine creates a tension between competing well recognized principles. It remains a powerful weapon in the state’s arsenal [646]*646to secure justice for victims of sexual assaults. It also, however, constitutes a potential threat to the accused’s right of confrontation under the sixth amendment to the constitution of the United States and under article first, § 8, of the constitution of Connecticut.6
7To resolve this tension, the defendant must be allowed an adequate opportunity to cross-examine constancy of accusation witnesses. Such cross-examination properly includes questioning the witness not only about the victim’s report of the present charge, but also about the victim’s prior false statements, to that witness, that tend to undermine the credibility of the victim’s present complaint.
At trial in this case, the defendant sought to cross-examine the victim and her father about claimed false statements by the victim to her father regarding a prior alleged sexual assault and its investigation. The defendant’s motion in limine stated that the subject of the proposed cross-examination was a “prior allegation of rape . . . which the father claims was under investigation by the Worcester [p]olice [department.”
As the defendant acknowledges, it is well established that “[t]he trial court has broad discretion in ruling on the admissibility of evidence. "State v. Miller, 202 Conn. 463, 482, 522 A.2d 249 (1987). “The trial court’s ruling on evidentiary matters will be overturned only upon a showing of a clear abuse of the court’s discretion.” State v. Avis, 209 Conn. 290, 298, 551 A.2d 26 (1988), [647]*647cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1097, 109 S. Ct. 1570, 103 L. Ed. 2d 937 (1989).
In a sexual assault case, the admissibility of evidence of the victim’s prior sexual conduct, including past allegations of sexual assault, is narrowly circumscribed by § 54-86f.8 A clear statement of the defendant’s theory of relevance is all important in determining whether the evidence is offered for a permissible purpose. As the defendant conceded at oral argument before this court, his offer of proof was not a model of clarity. The defendant’s written motion in limine9 and supplementary oral representations to the trial court10 could be [648]*648interpreted to present at least two possible theories of relevance. Considered together, they indicate that the proposed subject of cross-examination might have been: (1) claimed false allegations by the victim of a prior sexual assault; or (2) claimed false statements by the victim to her father regarding a previous investigation of a prior alleged sexual assault.11 In this court, the defendant also argued that he sought to pursue this line of questioning in order to demonstrate that the victim had lied to a constancy of accusation witness about the existence of a serious felony investigation, without revealing that the investigation had involved a sexual assault charge. We conclude that the trial court acted within its discretion in disallowing this line of questioning on any of these theories of relevance.
Insofar as the defendant sought to cross-examine the victim and her father regarding an alleged prior sexual assault and its investigation, the trial court was bound, in the exercise of its discretion, by our rape shield statute. Section 54-86f limits the admissibility of evidence of a victim’s prior allegations of sexual assault. See State v. Kulmac, 230 Conn. 43, 50-56, 644 A.2d 887 (1994); State v. Barrett, 43 Conn. App. 667, 671-73, 685 A.2d 677 (1996), cert. denied, 240 Conn. 923, 692 A.2d 819 (1997); State v. Manini, 38 Conn. App. 100, 106-108, 659 A.2d 196 (1995), cert. denied, 234 Conn. 920, 661 A.2d 99 (1995). Under § 54-86f (4), such evidence is admissible if it is “so relevant and material to a critical issue in the case that excluding it would violate the defendant’s constitutional rights.”
The defendant bears the burden of establishing the relevance of the proffered testimony. In order to get [649]*649such evidence before the jury, he must make a showing that, in fact, the prior complaint was: (1) made by the victim; and (2) false. State v. Kelley, supra, 229 Conn. 563; State v. Kelly, 208 Conn. 365, 377, 545 A.2d 1048 (1988); State v. Stevenson, 43 Conn. App. 680, 694-95, 686 A.2d 500 (1996), cert. denied, 240 Conn. 920, 692 A.2d 817 (1997); State v. Barrett, supra, 43 Conn. App. 674; State v. Manini, supra, 38 Conn. App. 114-15. Even if the defendant succeeds in establishing the relevance of the prior false allegation of sexual assault, however, the trial court still may exclude the evidence if its probative value is outweighed by such factors as time, confusion or prejudice.12 State v. DeMatteo, 186 Conn. 696, 702-703, 443 A.2d 915 (1982); see State v. Kindrick, 30 Conn. App. 56, 59-60, 619 A.2d 1 (1993) (evidence admissible under § 54-86f [4] only if its probative value outweighs its prejudicial effect).
In order to carry his threshold burden of establishing relevance, a defendant must make an “offer of proof as a prerequisite to obtaining an evidentiary hearing to determine the admissibility of evidence . . . ,”13 State [650]*650v. Manini, supra, 38 Conn. App. 114. The preliminary showing must be sufficient to demonstrate that “the evidence sought to be explored in the evidentiary hearing is relevant . . . [and] to enable the trial court to make an informed ruling in connection with the exercise of its discretion on the issue.” Id.
In this case, the defendant failed to make an adequate preliminary showing to justify cross-examining the victim and her father about claimed allegations of an alleged prior sexual assault and its investigation.14 To [651]*651satisfy his burden of showing relevance, the defendant submitted to the trial court a motion in limine requesting permission to cross-examine the victim and her father in the presence of the jury. The defendant’s offer of proof was, on its face, deficient in various respects. First, the defendant’s offer of proof did not allege facts that would support a finding either that the prior allegation of sexual assault had been made by the victim or that the prior accusation was false. The offer of proof contained no statement that the victim was the source of her father’s belief that she had been sexually assaulted in 1990. Furthermore, as a factual basis for the claim of falsity, the offer of proof represented only that the Worcester police had found no record of such a complaint. Without a further statement by a member of the Worcester police, the offer of proof provided the trial court no basis for determining whether the absence of such a record indicated that the victim had made no such complaint. Furthermore, even if we assume, arguendo, that no investigation had occurred, the trial court reasonably could reject the inference that the victim had not been sexually assaulted at an earlier time. Thus, the defendant’s assertions in his offer of proof were too speculative to require a determination that the victim had made prior false statements to her father regarding a previous sexual assault.
For many of the same reasons, the trial court also acted within its discretion in disallowing cross-examination of the victim’s father to demonstrate that the [652]*652victim had made false statements to a constancy of accusation witness about the existence of a prior sexual assault investigation.15 Again, the defendant’s offer of proof did not allege facts that, if proven, would have demonstrated relevance. As stated previously, the offer of proof did not contain facts indicating that the victim was the source of her father’s belief that there had been such an investigation. Furthermore, the offer of proof stated merely that the Worcester police had no record of such an investigation at the time of trial, not that the victim never had made such a complaint.
Even if the facts that were offered indicated that the victim had lied to her father about the existence of a prior sexual assault investigation, the trial court reasonably could have concluded that the victim’s prior false statement was of limited probative value in assessing her credibility in this case. Even if we were to assume, arguendo, that the rape shield statute did not bar the proffered evidence, the trial court acted within its discretion in excluding the evidence under the general evidentiary rules governing impeachment by prior misconduct. See C. Tait & J. LaPlante, Connecticut Evidence (2d Ed. 1988) § 7.22.2, pp. 204-205. The trial court reasonably could have concluded that the claimed events were remote in time, had minimal bearing on the victim’s credibility and would have injected a collateral issue into the trial. See, e.g., State v. James, 211 Conn. 555, 571-72, 560 A.2d 426 (1989). Specifically, the factual circumstances of the prior alleged sexual assault, which may well have been a “date rape,” were far [653]*653removed from the facts of this case. A victim’s inaccurate statement to her father about whether she had reported a “date rape” to the police is not necessarily probative of whether that same victim would lie under oath about a sexual assault by a police officer. See, e.g., United States v. Bartlett, 856 F.2d 1071, 1088 (8th Cir. 1988); Hughes v. Raines, 641 F.2d 790, 793 (9th Cir. 1981); see also D. Johnson, “Prior False Allegations of Rape: Falsus in Uno, Falsus in Omnibus?,” 7 Yale J.L. & Feminism 243 (1995).
“The trial court has wide discretion to determine the relevancy of evidence and the scope of cross-examination. Every reasonable presumption should be made in favor of the correctness of the court’s ruling in determining whether there has been an abuse of discretion.” State v. Barnes, 232 Conn. 740, 746-47, 657 A.2d 611 (1995); see also State v. Kelley, supra, 229 Conn. 563. Accordingly, in light of the insufficiency of the defendant’s offer of proof to support his claim with respect to the relevancy of the proffered evidence, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in disallowing this line of questioning, and the Appellate Court properly affirmed the judgment of the trial court.
The judgment of the Appellate Court is affirmed.
In this opinion BORDEN and PALMER, Js., concurred.