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| Cyprus rape case: British teenager given suspended sentence | Cyprus rape case: British teenager given suspended sentence |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Nineteen-year-old woman convicted of lying will not go to prison and can return to UK | Nineteen-year-old woman convicted of lying will not go to prison and can return to UK |
| A British teenager who was convicted of lying about being gang-raped has been sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for three years. She was also fined €140 (£119) but is free to return home. | A British teenager who was convicted of lying about being gang-raped has been sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for three years. She was also fined €140 (£119) but is free to return home. |
| The 19-year-old student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was ruled to have “wilfully indulged in public mischief” by claiming she was raped by a group of male Israeli tourists while on holiday in Ayia Napa last July. | The 19-year-old student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was ruled to have “wilfully indulged in public mischief” by claiming she was raped by a group of male Israeli tourists while on holiday in Ayia Napa last July. |
| The tourists, aged between 15 and 22, were allowed to fly home after she allegedly retracted the complaint. | The tourists, aged between 15 and 22, were allowed to fly home after she allegedly retracted the complaint. |
| “I have decided to give her a second chance,” the judge, Michalis Papathanasiou, told the packed courtroom, citing her age, psychological state and dependency on anti-depressants. | “I have decided to give her a second chance,” the judge, Michalis Papathanasiou, told the packed courtroom, citing her age, psychological state and dependency on anti-depressants. |
| The woman hugged her family and legal team and left court weeping, with her head in her hands, after she was sentenced for public mischief. | The woman hugged her family and legal team and left court weeping, with her head in her hands, after she was sentenced for public mischief. |
| Before the sentencing, dozens of protesters gathered outside Famagusta district court in Paralimni. They included a group of women who had travelled from Israel, who chanted “Cyprus justice, shame on you”, “stop blaming the victim” and “you are not alone”. Some held placards reading “we believe you” and “don’t be afraid”. | Before the sentencing, dozens of protesters gathered outside Famagusta district court in Paralimni. They included a group of women who had travelled from Israel, who chanted “Cyprus justice, shame on you”, “stop blaming the victim” and “you are not alone”. Some held placards reading “we believe you” and “don’t be afraid”. |
| The teenager’s mother said: “On behalf of the family, I would like to say we are very relieved at the sentence that has been passed down today. I would also like to say thank you for all the support we have received throughout the globe.” | The teenager’s mother said: “On behalf of the family, I would like to say we are very relieved at the sentence that has been passed down today. I would also like to say thank you for all the support we have received throughout the globe.” |
| Addressing applauding supporters, she added: “I just want to thank each and every one of you for turning up today, having belief, having faith and making sure we get justice.” | Addressing applauding supporters, she added: “I just want to thank each and every one of you for turning up today, having belief, having faith and making sure we get justice.” |
| The woman’s British lawyer, Lewis Power QC, who was in court, said: “Whilst we welcome the fact that the sentence imposed today allows her to go home, we strongly contest the conviction and the fight for her innocence will go on regardless. | The woman’s British lawyer, Lewis Power QC, who was in court, said: “Whilst we welcome the fact that the sentence imposed today allows her to go home, we strongly contest the conviction and the fight for her innocence will go on regardless. |
| “We will be appealing the conviction and will take this case to the European court of human rights. | “We will be appealing the conviction and will take this case to the European court of human rights. |
| “We say and will maintain that this young girl was stripped both of her dignity and her basic human rights. She has been diagnosed with severe PTSD and this case has resulted in the deterioration of her mental health. | “We say and will maintain that this young girl was stripped both of her dignity and her basic human rights. She has been diagnosed with severe PTSD and this case has resulted in the deterioration of her mental health. |
| “This case has far-reaching repercussions for women travelling abroad and has highlighted the need for appropriate representation. This young woman has shown immense bravery, courage and fortitude in coming forward. | “This case has far-reaching repercussions for women travelling abroad and has highlighted the need for appropriate representation. This young woman has shown immense bravery, courage and fortitude in coming forward. |
| “Her identity has been compromised, she has been trolled viciously on social media and has been subjected to vile comments. Some of those who perpetrated this serious sexual assault returned to their homeland bragging triumphantly and unashamedly as to what they had done to her, compounding her trauma.” | “Her identity has been compromised, she has been trolled viciously on social media and has been subjected to vile comments. Some of those who perpetrated this serious sexual assault returned to their homeland bragging triumphantly and unashamedly as to what they had done to her, compounding her trauma.” |
| A close friend of the family, sitting next to the teenager’s mother in court, said: “I suppose she is relieved to be going home but she will appeal.” | A close friend of the family, sitting next to the teenager’s mother in court, said: “I suppose she is relieved to be going home but she will appeal.” |
| The family is likely to fly back to the UK on Tuesday. | The family is likely to fly back to the UK on Tuesday. |
| The British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said he had raised concerns over her treatment with the Cypriot authorities, after the teenager’s conviction provoked outrage in Cyprus and the UK. | The British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, said he had raised concerns over her treatment with the Cypriot authorities, after the teenager’s conviction provoked outrage in Cyprus and the UK. |
| Although Cyprus’s president, Nicos Anastasiades, had been kept fully briefed of the case, the teenager’s senior Cypriot lawyer said it was very unlikely he would intervene given the sentence had been suspended. | Although Cyprus’s president, Nicos Anastasiades, had been kept fully briefed of the case, the teenager’s senior Cypriot lawyer said it was very unlikely he would intervene given the sentence had been suspended. |
| “There is now no need for a presidential pardon,” Nicoletta Charalambidou said. “We are all relieved that she will not have to go to prison and happy that the sentence is suspended and she can get on with her life and take care of her mental health, but we will pursue the appeal in an effort to have a final positive acquittal decision.” | “There is now no need for a presidential pardon,” Nicoletta Charalambidou said. “We are all relieved that she will not have to go to prison and happy that the sentence is suspended and she can get on with her life and take care of her mental health, but we will pursue the appeal in an effort to have a final positive acquittal decision.” |
| The team will submit an expedited appeal request by 17 January to ensure the case is heard within six months. If efforts to clear her name fail at that stage they will go to the European court of human rights. | The team will submit an expedited appeal request by 17 January to ensure the case is heard within six months. If efforts to clear her name fail at that stage they will go to the European court of human rights. |
| Protesters outside the court described the outcome as a “superficial victory”. | Protesters outside the court described the outcome as a “superficial victory”. |
| “Today does not dispel what is a very sad and very bad result, the conviction of the girl,” said Argentoula Ioannou, an activist lawyer who helped organise the protest. | “Today does not dispel what is a very sad and very bad result, the conviction of the girl,” said Argentoula Ioannou, an activist lawyer who helped organise the protest. |
| “The judgment is a result of the deficiencies of the police investigation system and the specific way the police handled the complaint of the girl. Instead of investigating the complaint, and collecting the relevant evidence, they chose not to believe her and focus all their efforts on proving she was not being honest and that, as we all know, allowed the Israeli boys to ultimately return home.” | “The judgment is a result of the deficiencies of the police investigation system and the specific way the police handled the complaint of the girl. Instead of investigating the complaint, and collecting the relevant evidence, they chose not to believe her and focus all their efforts on proving she was not being honest and that, as we all know, allowed the Israeli boys to ultimately return home.” |
| Several Israeli men also joined female protesters who had flown in overnight from Jerusalem to Cyprus. | Several Israeli men also joined female protesters who had flown in overnight from Jerusalem to Cyprus. |
| One of them, Yuval Newman, said he had been so “angry and shocked” over last week’s guilty verdict he had decided to travel to the island with his 16-year-old son. | One of them, Yuval Newman, said he had been so “angry and shocked” over last week’s guilty verdict he had decided to travel to the island with his 16-year-old son. |
| “To put all the blame on this young woman is so wrong,” he said. “So much needs to change in Israel around the way teenagers treat women. | “To put all the blame on this young woman is so wrong,” he said. “So much needs to change in Israel around the way teenagers treat women. |
| “I am very happy that she is going home but there is no doubt in my mind about what those Israeli kids did. That they should have been let free is unbelievable. I have brought my son with me in the hope that he will learn from this and go away knowing that women need to be treated properly.” | “I am very happy that she is going home but there is no doubt in my mind about what those Israeli kids did. That they should have been let free is unbelievable. I have brought my son with me in the hope that he will learn from this and go away knowing that women need to be treated properly.” |
| Verity Nevitt, who organised a demonstration through London on Monday in solidarity with the teenager, called the Cypriot authorities’ handling of the case farcical. She added: “Today the Judge proved that he is unfit to judge cases of sexual violence, he should be recalled from the role.“I am angry that the UK have behaved so pitifully in protecting one of their own, one who is already so vulnerable and in desperate need of support. Britain should have said no Briton is taking part in this farce of a judicial system and we are not allowing this joke trial to continue where a victim is being tried as a criminal.” |