British woman found guilty of lying about gang rape in Cyprus

A British woman has been found guilty of lying about a gang rape in a Cyprus hotel.
By Claire Lewis
Published 30th Dec 2019, 08:42 BST
Updated 30th Dec 2019, 11:39 BST
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The 19-year-old, believed to be from Derbyshire, was convicted of a single count of public mischief at Famagusta District Court in Paralimni earlier today.

She nodded her head slightly as she was found guilty but showed no other emotion.

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The woman was accused of falsely claiming she was attacked by up to 12 Israeli tourists in an Ayia Napa hotel on July 17, before making a retraction 10 days later.

Tourists sunbathe on the beach in the resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus (Photo: FLORIAN CHOBLET/AFP/Getty Images)Tourists sunbathe on the beach in the resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus (Photo: FLORIAN CHOBLET/AFP/Getty Images)
Tourists sunbathe on the beach in the resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus (Photo: FLORIAN CHOBLET/AFP/Getty Images)

She claimed in court that she was raped but pressured into changing her account by Cypriot police.

The woman spent more than a month in prison before she was granted bail, but has not been allowed to leave the island.

She could face up to a year in jail.

The woman was working in Cyprus for the summer before she was due to start university when she alleged she was raped.