Derbyshire teen who 'lied over gang rape' in Cyprus spared jail

The 19-year-old was today given a four-month jail term, suspended for three years, having been found guilty of “public mischief” last week – she could have been jailed for up to a year, but will now walk free.

Judge Michalis Papathanasiou, sitting at Famagusta District Court, said he was taking into account her age, psychological state and the fact she had been in Cyprus for six months, including a month behind bars.

He told her he was giving her a "second chance", following speculation she would be pardoned by the Cypriot government.

The teenager now plans to return home.

The teen, who the Derbyshire Times is not naming, claims she was gang raped in a hotel room in the party resort of Ayia Napa, before police officers in Cyprus coerced her into retracting her allegation.

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

The youths and men, aged 15 to 20, were arrested, but released after the teen signed a retraction statement 10 days later.

However, her lawyers say it was signed under duress, after hours of questioning by police without family or lawyers present.

And her legal team has vowed to challenge the conviction.

Speaking before the sentence was handed down, the woman told The Sun: “I have done nothing wrong and am devoted to carrying on fighting.”

Lewis Power QC, part of the teenager’s legal team, said: “The fight for her innocence will go on regardless.”

He told the BBC: “We do not feel we have had justice in terms of how the trial progressed, the manner in which it was conducted, the initial police investigation and the fact that we feel she did not receive a fair trial."

Supporters from Cyprus and a group of women who travelled from Israel gathered outside court holding placards.

The teenager's mother shouted "she's coming home" to the group following sentencing, and told reporters she was "just relieved" her daughter can go home.