London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK 'concerned' over fair trial of Ayia Napa Briton as "Special agents" sent by the attackers-parents to "solve the problem" while their kids has been arrested.

UK 'concerned' over fair trial of Ayia Napa Briton as "Special agents" sent by the attackers-parents to "solve the problem" while their kids has been arrested.

The UK is "seriously concerned about the fair trial guarantees" in the case of a British woman convicted of lying about being gang-raped by 12 Israelis in Cyprus, the government said.
A Foreign Office spokesman said the case in Ayia Napa was "deeply distressing" and it will raise the issue with Cypriot authorities.

The teenager was found guilty on a charge of causing public mischief.

She had been arrested after recanting a claim that she was raped in July.

The 19-year-old had said Cypriot police made her falsely confess to lying about the incident at a hotel - but police denied this.

The judge at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni adjourned sentencing until 7 January. She could face up to a year in jail and a £1,500 fine, but her lawyers have asked for a suspended sentence.

Lawyer Michael Polak, director of Justice Abroad which is assisting the woman, told BBC News that they will appeal the conviction.

He said the retraction statement was given when no lawyer or translator was present, which he said was a breach of European human rights law.

He also criticised the handling of the case by Judge Michalis Papathanasiou, who he said refused to hear any evidence about whether the alleged rape took place.

Prosecutors said the woman willingly wrote and signed a statement retracting her claims 10 days after making the initial allegation.

The woman told the court this happened under duress with the threat of arrest.

As he delivered the verdict, Judge Papathanasiou said: "The defendant gave police a false rape claim, while having full knowledge that this was a lie," adding that the teenager had tried to "mislead" the court in her testimony.

He said "there was no rape or violence" and police had thoroughly investigated, "making all necessary arrests."

The judge said his decision was backed up by video evidence showing the 19-year-old having consensual sex and she "initially gave false statements" because she "felt embarrassed" when she realised members of the group were recording her.

Her lawyers had argued that the video found on some of the Israelis' phones showed her having consensual sex with one of the group while others tried to enter the room as she told them to leave.

The mother of the teenager has called the verdict "absolutely astonishing" and "a nightmare".

In an interview with ITV News, she said: "I find myself kind of unable to believe the violations of human rights she's experienced throughout the whole affair, particularly things like having no access to lawyers whilst being interrogated for hours on end over a Saturday night."

She said in contrast, the Israeli group had "legal representation within a matter of hours".

She added her daughter "seriously needs" to return to the UK for medical treatment for her post-traumatic stress disorder.

One of the woman's lawyers, Nicoletta Charalambidou, told reporters they planned to appeal against the decision to Cyprus' Supreme Court, and if that failed they would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

She said they "respectfully disagree" with the verdict, adding there had been "violations" of procedure and her client's rights to a fair trial.

The teenager had contacted police hours after claiming to have been raped on 17 July at the Pambos Napa Rocks Hotel.

Twelve men were arrested in connection with the allegations but were later freed and returned home, after the woman retracted her claims.

She was later arrested and appeared in court facing charges of public mischief by falsely accusing the group of raping her, to which she pleaded not guilty.

The trial began at the start of October - with the verdict delayed until now.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×