Derbyshire teen facing jail over Cyprus 'gang rape lie' urges PM to bring her home

A Derbyshire teenager convicted of lying about being raped in a Cyprus hotel has begged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to bring her home.
By Jon Ball
Published 2nd Jan 2020, 10:46 BST
Updated 6th Jan 2020, 09:39 BST
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The 19-year-old, who faces up to a year in jail in Cyprus, has begged Mr Johnson to step in so she can return to her family.

The teen, who your Times is not naming, claims she was gang raped by 12 Israeli tourists in a hotel room in the party resort of Ayia Napa, before Cypriot police coerced her into retracting her allegation.

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She has now pleaded for Mr Johnson’s personal intervention before her sentencing on Tuesday, as legal experts in the UK and Cyprus demanded she be pardoned.

The Derbyshire teenager convicted of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she leaves after the verdict at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, flanked by supporters, on December 30, 2019.The Derbyshire teenager convicted of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she leaves after the verdict at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, flanked by supporters, on December 30, 2019.
The Derbyshire teenager convicted of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she leaves after the verdict at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, flanked by supporters, on December 30, 2019.

The teenager told The Sun said: “Every second of this ordeal has been a waking nightmare.

“I’m 19 and all I want to do is clear my name and come home to my family.

“I would say to both the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister, both of whom are fathers, please support me with your actions, not just with your words. Time is running out for me. Please, please help.”

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The teenager’s mum said the UK needed to act immediately to provide support for her daughter, who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Derbyshire teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she arrives for her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.The Derbyshire teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she arrives for her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.
The Derbyshire teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, covers her face as she arrives for her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.

She said: “My daughter is a British citizen who has suffered so much already at the hands of the Cypriot judicial system and is in desperate need of medical support in the UK.”

The teenager claimed she was raped by up to 12 Israeli tourists on July 17.

The youths and men, aged 15 to 20, were arrested by Cypriot police.

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However, they were released after the teen signed a retraction statement 10 days later, although her lawyers say it was signed under duress following hours of questioning by police without family or lawyers present.

Women's rights activists stage a protest in support of a British teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, during her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.Women's rights activists stage a protest in support of a British teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, during her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.
Women's rights activists stage a protest in support of a British teenager accused of falsely claiming she was raped by Israeli tourists, during her trial at the Famagusta District Court in Paralimni in eastern Cyprus, on December 30, 2019.

She was this week convicted of “public mischief” at a Cypriot court, with Judge Michalis Papathanasiou saying she tried to deceive the court with "convenient" and "evasive" statements.

However, the Foreign Office said the UK was "seriously concerned" about the fairness of the woman's trial.

The Cypriot government said it has "full confidence in the justice system".