Sugababes star Amelle Berrabah was on the verge of a nervous breakdown after her boyfriend was accused of raping her sister.
The 23-year-old singer suffered panic attacks and lived "like a hermit" after being forced to choose sides between her sister Samiya and boyfriend Freddie Fuller.
She told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "I feel like I have had a nervous breakdown. Sometimes I'd have panic attacks. I physically and mentally couldn't handle it. Being a Sugababe is the thing I've always wanted and I felt my own sister was trying to screw it up for me.
"I thought, 'My boyfriend has raped my sister' and 'is the person I've loved this whole, entire time lying to me and is a sick weirdo?' "
Freddie's rape charges were later dropped after it was proved he was five miles away on the phone to Amelle when the alleged incident took place in January 2007.
Despite being cleared last October, Freddie has been verbally abused in the street and says he will never forgive Samiya.
Freddie, whose three cousins were also accused of the rape, said: "It nearly killed me. Amelle and me split up for about three months. I've never been so down in my life.
"Then Samiya said, 'I'm really sorry I think I had a bad dream.' People look at me like I'm a piece of s**t now. I want people to know the truth. I never want to set eyes on her again."
Amelle says her life is slowly getting back to normal but she is still torn between her family and her lover.
She added: "She was like my best mate, we'd do everything together. I feel I've lost a piece of me.
"People need to know Freddie is completely innocent. We're emotionally drained and physically drained. We can't mentally take it anymore."