- Title: British woman in false rape claim trial appears in Cyprus court
- Date: 15th October 2019
- Summary: PARALIMNI, CYPRUS (OCTOBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF FAMAGUSTA COURTHOUSE ENTRANCE COURT SIGN LAWYERS ARRIVING AT COURTHOUSE BRITISH WOMAN WEARING A HAT AND COVERING HER FACE WITH A SHAWL DISEMBARKING FROM CAR AND ENTERING COURTHOUSE, TWO OTHERS HOLDING HER VARIOUS OF LAWYERS LEAVING COURTHOUSE AND ENTERING VEHICLES
- Embargoed: 29th October 2019 13:32
- Keywords: Cyprus British tourist Israeli tourists Ayia Napa rape trial
- Location: PARALIMNI, CYPRUS
- City: PARALIMNI, CYPRUS
- Country: Cyprus
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA001B17K75Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The trial of a British tourist charged with public mischief for falsely accusing a group of Israeli youths of gang-rape began in Cyprus on Tuesday (October 15) after a previous adjournment.
The 19-year-old woman appeared at the court wearing a hat and covered her face with a shawl.
The Briton was arrested after police said she withdrew an accusation that 12 Israeli teenagers raped her in a hotel room in the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in mid-July.
She was then released on bail until the trial, after spending a month in custody.
She pleaded not guilty to charges of public mischief at a hearing in August. Her lawyers had told reporters she withdrew her accusation under duress.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail or a fine.
The Israeli tourists, who were on holiday in Cyprus, were detained and later released without charge. They had denied any allegation of assault and have since returned to Israel.
The trial initially began on October 2 and was adjourned. It is expected to continue through the week.
(Production: Yannis Kourtoglou, Deborah Kyvrikosaios) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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