Ayia Napa rape case on appeal path

The lawyers of a British young lady, who was accused by Cypriot police of fabricating rape allegations in Ayia Napa last year, have submitted documents to the Supreme Court for an appeal hearing expected later this year.

The case dates back to July 2019 involving a British female, aged 19 at the time, who was found guilty of lying about being gang raped by Israeli teens in a hotel room in Ayia Napa. She had originally filed a rape complaint but later sighed a retraction statement.

According to British media, a 156-page skeleton argument has been submitted to the Appeals Court in the Republic of Cyprus by Michael Polak, one of the girl’s attorneys.

Judge discourteous, not impartial

Polak, a lawyer with Justice Abroad, said the defence would argue that Judge Michalis Papathanasiou was discourteous and jumped to conclusions while “denying the teenager a fair trial.” In January, the judge handed down a four month prison sentence suspended for three years.

"We have submitted a detailed skeleton argument which sets out exactly why the teenager’s conviction, which was reported around the world in January, is unsafe and needs to be overturned,” Polak said.

Police declined to comment on the case on several occasions, citing an appeal pending with the Supreme Court.

The defence maintained all along that their client had been pressured by investigators to withdraw the gang rape complaint, adding that the judge believed from the beginning that she had consensual sex and that he did not afford them an opportunity to prove otherwise.

Law enforcement authorities have maintained throughout the trial that officers acted professionally with the judge dismissing claims that the girl had been coerced by police.

The British girl, who was featured in an ITV documentary earlier this year titled “Believe Me: The Cyprus Rape Case” said she is determined to seek justice and clear her name.