From rape complaint to conviction: After six months in Cyprus, the British returned home

About six months have passed since 19-year-old British arrived in Ayia Napa, where an Israeli who later became suspected of rape with his friends. Since then, her complaint has taken a 180-degree turn as she found herself on the defendants' bench in an affair that attracted international attention. Now, after sentencing, the British young woman returned home

From rape complaint to conviction: After six months in Cyprus, the British returned home

The 19-year-old British woman, whose trial ended Tuesday in Cyprus, is returning home this evening, six months after leaving Derbyshire County for a short vacation that got into trouble. She and her mother were due for an earlier flight, but were unable to pack and get organized in time. A representative from the British Embassy in Cyprus accompanied them at Larnaca Airport, where the evening flight turned out to be full. Then, British Airways paid two passengers € 500 each, having given up their place for the two on a four-and-a-half-hour flight home to England.

Dozens of Israelis and Israelis, who in the morning demonstrated support for a young woman in court, arrived at Larnaca airport to say goodbye. The young woman thanked them, and one Israeli said: "The Israeli men you met are not something that represents Israel."

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British young woman arrives in sentencing court today (Photo: Reuters)

British young woman arrives in sentencing court, Cyprus, January 7, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The mother, almost with tears and great excitement, once again thanked the Israelis: "We cannot therefore thank you enough for all your support." She added that she liked the idea of ​​visiting Israel and meeting them. "We are happy to return home from there, we will continue the fight to purge my daughter's name. The fight will not end until justice is done."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed the court decision, which sentenced the young woman to just a suspended sentence of four months, and a fine of about £ 140. A spokesman for him said that "the UK will work with Cyprus and other countries to ensure that such a case is no longer changed."

Last week, in Famagusta County Court in Paralimani, Judge Michalis Papathanasio convicted the young woman of harassing the public for making a false complaint to police after she allegedly raped. Justice Hamor Hashban chose to state today that the offense in which she was convicted is one of the oldest offenses in Cyprus's rulebook and should not be underestimated. He added that the social significance and international interest in the case cannot be ignored, although it does cause harm to the accused.

Celebrating their freedom. Israeli youths suspected of being raped after being released

Family members of boys suspected of rape in Cyprus are jubilant outside court after decision to release them June 28, 2019 (Photo: official website)

The judge admitted to deliberating on the young woman's sentence, given that she had been detained for a month and had been in Cyprus for six months, staying isolated from her friends and family, and being denied the opportunity to attend university. He noted that she was devoid of a criminal record, convinced that she had not done so for money, that she was sorry for her actions, and that she may have acted as she did immature due to her young age and psychological strain. He emphasized the gravity of the acts that led to the arrest of 12 people, the liberty of which seven were denied for ten days and that he chose to "give her another chance."

"The judge said he was giving her another chance, but in practice she was stripped of her dignity and human rights," said attorney Louis Power, one of four defense attorneys representing the young woman from Justice Abroad, a lawyer providing assistance Legal for those who get involved in criminal matters away from their homeland.

The celebration continues

The British young woman, who returns home after six months, arrived on the island for work leave on July 10, and was given accommodation in a room with no air conditioning, no showers and no windows on the basement floor of the Pembos Napa Rox Hotel. It used to be the Calypso apartment hotel, whose suites were converted into two-star hotel rooms that store about five young people in the room in the summer. After her entanglement, the company that sent her already announced that she would not send more young people to Ayia Napa.

The affair began on July 13 when she met an Israeli young man as her son. The romantic attraction helped overcome the language barrier. They spent time together, and even took pictures, and in that day had already had sex in his room, room 723. They were interrupted by his friends, who peered and even took pictures on their cell phones. Thus, as all described here, eventually came up during her trial.

Cyprus was not moved by the allegations. The Cyprus hotel room where the incident happened

Cyprus hotel room where the rape took place (Photo: Untitled)

She left the room, but two days later, on July 15, she returned to him and again the two had sex. Once again, she left when they were interrupted again, and probably filmed, and on the 17th of the month the screenplay repeated, but this time it ended otherwise. They arrived at his room around 2:30 and shortly after 3:00 she had already fled with him, met her friend and then another friend, told them with great trauma that she had been raped, and repeated this in the clinic at the hotel entrance.

Police were called and launched the rape investigation. She mistook the room number twice for the cops, but they eventually located him, arrested the "boyfriend" who initially denied knowing her, then admitted to lying one-on-one and eventually in the third version recalling that there might have been someone else present, "who only took pictures ". He led the researchers to his roommates, and then to boys from other rooms, 12 in all, all Israelis aged 15-22.

They were arrested, led to investigation and DNA sampling was taken from everyone. The police collected evidence in the room, backed up evidence and frustrated to find that the hotel had no security cameras. The celebration at the hotel continues. Israeli journalists who arrived the next day found the place's famous pool parties as usual: Hundreds of children, boys and young people crowd in and around the central pool, free-flowing alcohol and trance music driving the scene.

180 degree turn

Cyprus was not moved by the allegations. Every taxi driver and every receptionist at the hotel repeats the same urban legend that young tourists, especially British ones, complain of experiencing rape on the island to extort insurance premiums. The young woman did call the company who insured her trip the day she filed the complaint, but that was so she could find her an alternative hotel. The company did move it with the companies to the luxurious and decorated five-star Hotel Nissi Blue.

At the same time, the next day, on July 18, the young men were taken to court in the nearby town of Pralimani, where Judge Tonya Antonioo extended their detention for eight days. The Israeli media has been waiting for them at the door of the court in the province, which has since gained international interest. They claimed to be innocent, because police brutally treated them and beat them. Some even claim to have broken their noses. These claims will be abandoned soon after.

The attorneys argued that the confession was a ruse and under pressure. Cyprus police station

Cyprus police station (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

On July 25, DNA results arrived. Five Israelis were released and celebrated the release of Israeli media, which celebrated with them leaving the Pralimani police station, Larnaka Airport and Ben Gurion Airport, upon their return to Israel. The common message: "The British are a liar." They were arrested for wrongdoing.

On Friday, July 26, the remaining seven were arrested for another eight days. The lead investigator, Marius Christo, informs the judge that he will carry out an identification order and that he will return to the hotel in an attempt to locate three other young men whose DNA is found on the young woman's body, underwear and condoms left in the room.

On July 27, Christo returned to Pambus Napa Rox, but shortly after leaving, he chose to pick up the British young woman for another testimony at the Pralimani police station. After about eight hours, in a 180-degree turn, in controversial circumstances, and when the testimony was turned into a warning, he admitted from the young woman that she had confessed to the rape complaint because she realized she had been photographed during the sexual act. Hours later, she would regret this confession, but it would be too late - she was arrested.

The entanglement lengthens

Sunday July 28 opens with a surprising announcement of the upheaval. The Israelis were released in a media celebration at Larnaca and Tel Aviv airports, similar to their friends three days earlier.

On Tuesday, July 30, the young woman was brought to court. This time she is the suspect, and the same judge extended her arrest, charged with harassing the public, for her "false complaint".

The young woman was brought to court - as a suspect. Court in Napa Island (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

The Ayia Napa Court in Cyprus where the British young woman is being tried, October 15, 2019 (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

On Tuesday, August 6, a week later, she formally withdrew from the confession that she had made the complaint. Attorney Andreas Pittadgis, the Cypriot defense attorney who represented her, resigned because of the controversy over her line of defense. She remains trapped behind bars. She was tricked, under pressure, without receiving legal advice and contrary to the law. They claim that her authentic complaint about the alleged group rape was allegedly in her mind. They were determined to fight for her innocence. On August 27, they were released from custody, but were banned from leaving the island.

On October 2, after magistrates were replaced in the district court in September, the British trial opened to Judge Michalis Papathanasio, with the hope that it would end before Christmas. The trial began with a sort of "minor trial," which examines the confession made by police that night. Advocate Michael Polk on behalf of "Justice Abroad" presented the line of defense: "Rape did occur and the investigation was conducted under any standard."

"Rape did happen and the investigation was conducted under any proper standard." Adv. Polk (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

Michael Polk, the lawyer for the British woman accused of making a false complaint about the group rape in Cyprus, has entered a hearing in her case in Larnaca Court. October 17, 2019 (Photo: Yoav Itiel)

On November 27, the judge decided to accept the admission as admissible evidence. A first loss to the defense team, which expressed puzzlement at the decision. "She continues to claim that we have been raped and we continue to provide evidence of that," defense attorney Michael Polk argued. Her family was furious outside the court: "All prosecution witnesses are trustworthy in the eyes of the judge, and the defense witnesses are not."

At a hearing on December 12, the judge announced that he would deliver the verdict only right towards the end of the year. The young woman had to get used to spending Christmas away from England. On December 30, he convicted her, raising tough determinations against her conduct and integrity. She still can't leave the island. The judge announced that she would only be sentenced a week later.

Complete and incomplete

The conviction brings increasing interest in Britain in particular, but also in Israel, with women's rights organizations. Following the conviction, the UK Foreign Ministry stated that "Britain is very concerned about the trial in this appalling case, and we will raise the issue with the Cyprus authorities." This, after the young woman's mother, in a UK media interview, said she was looking forward to the acts, not just the words.

In a statement from the President of Cyprus, he stated that he trusted his hands with the District Court's discretion and independence. The Cyprus Attorney General, in a statement of his own, tried to rationalize her prosecution by making harsh allegations against police conduct, such as those that would have to turn out in court. However, criticism in the UK and the world at large and of women's organizations in particular has only intensified since then and has not let go.

Their voices were heard in the courtroom and accompanied the judge's ruling. Out of court minds (Photo: Reuters)

Protest of British young woman's supporters outside Cyprus, 7 January 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The president of Cyprus has announced that if sentenced to imprisonment, he will punish her. Fundraising for the young woman's legal expenses has also received support she has not received since it opened on August 8. Until last week, on the eve of her conviction, £ 52,000 was raised. Since then, within a week, £ 90,000 has been raised and the total amount has been £ 142,000.

Today, on Jan. 7, sentencing was given in the small, crowded courtroom of the Pralimani court. The court guards had to close the windows because of the dozens of demonstrators outside, but in vain.

Against the backdrop of protests against Cyprus and the court, and against his president's announcement, the judge made his decision, and as a young woman left the island after being sentenced only to probation. Her lawyers announced that they would not agree with the conviction and that they would appeal it to the Cyprus Supreme Court and, if necessary, then the European Civil Court. The affair, meanwhile, is over, but not complete.

The British young woman will return to her home, but in her area intend to continue the fight