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Briton guilty over Ayia Napa false rape claim | Briton guilty over Ayia Napa false rape claim |
(32 minutes later) | |
A 19-year-old British woman has been found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, by Israeli youths. | |
She had been arrested after withdrawing an allegation that she was attacked by 12 young Israelis in a hotel in July. | |
The woman had said Cypriot police made her falsely confess to lying about the incident - but the police denied this. | |
She was found guilty on a charge of causing public mischief, at a court in Paralimni. | She was found guilty on a charge of causing public mischief, at a court in Paralimni. |
The judge at the Famagusta District Court adjourned sentencing until 7 January. She could face up to a year in jail, but her lawyers have asked for a suspended sentence. | |
Prosecutors said she willingly wrote and signed a statement retracting her claims 10 days after making the initial allegations. | |
The woman told the court this happened under duress with the threat of arrest and that she had been denied access to a lawyer. | |
Twelve Israelis were arrested in connection with the allegations but were later released and returned home. | Twelve Israelis were arrested in connection with the allegations but were later released and returned home. |
The Briton spent more than a month in prison before she was granted bail at the end of August, but had not been allowed to leave the island. | |
The trial began at the start of October - with the verdict delayed until now. | |
BBC Europe correspondent Kevin Connolly said the woman's family spent Christmas with her on the Mediterranean island. | BBC Europe correspondent Kevin Connolly said the woman's family spent Christmas with her on the Mediterranean island. |
He said that lawyers representing the woman had indicated they were willing to challenge the verdict as far as the European Court of Human Rights. |