Parents of British teen convicted in Cyprus gang rape lie case urge public to ‘spread message far and wide’ as fundraiser nears £80,000

The parents of a British teenager found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus have thanked the public for their support, as a fundraising drive to cover her legal fees nears £80,000.

The woman, 19, who has not been named, was convicted of “public mischief” on Monday, after a judge ruled she had invented claims she’d been sexually abused by 12 Israeli men and boys in a hotel in the resort of Ayia Napa on July 1.

Her parents set up a GoFundMe page in August to cover the cost of her £15,000 legal fees, writing in an emotional plea: “After an awful series of events, we just want to bring her home.”

In the hours following Monday’s ruling, the site received a stream of donations and messages of encouragement, raising the total by around £20,000 in less than a day.

Activists outside court after a British woman was found guilty of faking a gang rape claim
REUTERS

In a new post on Tuesday morning, the teenager’s parents thanked the public for their “astounding” contributions, which “mean the world to our daughter”.

They wrote: “Thank you all so much for your generosity and continuing support. We are absolutely astounded by the donations we have received over the Christmas period and in the last few hours. It means the world to our daughter.

“We haven’t had the best of days a very disappointing verdict, but based on our experience to date, our expectations were low when we arrived this morning.

“The support from the British public and media has been gratefully received, and the FCO’s comment that ‘The UK is seriously concerned about the fair trial guarantees in this deeply distressing case and we will be raising the issue with the Cypriot authorities’ gives us continued hope that justice will eventually triumph.”

The British government said on Monday that it was deeply worried about the 19-year-old’s conviction, amid speculation over fair trial guarantees in the case.

Her parents ended their GoFundMe message with a final plea to the public: “Please keep spreading the message far and wide. We have to fund this appeal."

Michael Polak, a British lawyer on her defence team explained that the verdict “relied on her retracted statement.”

A women's rights activist takes part in the protest
AFP via Getty Images

“When she made it, she had been held for seven hours without access to a lawyer. I don’t think that anyone who attended would say that this was a fair trial," he said.

He added that “it felt like the decision was made before the trial started.”

The teen and her mother left court together, both wearing masks featuring stitched lips, in protest.

The 19-year-old said she was “dedicated to seeking true justice” and vowed to clear her name and those of others who had been through similar experiences, many of whom she said had been in contact with her.

Guilty verdict: The British woman covers her face as she leaves court
REUTERS

“There was, sadly, no surprise at the judgment,” she told The Sun.

“One moment I was a victim, the next I was the accused. Eight hours of interrogation, denied access to a lawyer — while those accused of raping me had legal representation immediately.”

Her legal team has vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court of Cyprus and to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.

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