Ayia Napa false rape claim accused 'left unsupported' by embassy

The mother of a British teenager accused of lying about being raped by Israeli tourists has said the British embassy failed to provide adequate support.

Her daughter is on trial for falsely claiming to have been attacked at an Ayia Napa hotel in July.

The 19-year-old has said Cypriot police made her falsely confess to lying about the incident.

The UK Foreign Office said it "continues to support" the woman.

'Living nightmare'

The teenager claims she was gang-raped in a hotel room in the resort.

Twelve young Israelis were arrested in connection with the allegations but were later released and returned home.

Prosecutors say she willingly wrote and signed a statement retracting her initial claims.

But she says this happened under duress with the threat of arrest and she had been denied access to a lawyer.

Her mother, "Jenny" - not her real name - told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme the past few months had been a "living nightmare".

"The hardest part of it is being absolutely sure your daughter is telling the truth and then to see a group of men in court say that she's lying," she said.

The trial began at the start of October but the verdict has been delayed until 30 December.

The 19-year-old has post-traumatic stress disorder and her mother said a psychological assessment had determined the symptoms had become "much, much worse" since the alleged rape.

"[Initially] being in prison and the ongoing uncertainty means she had not been able to get appropriate medical attention or treatment," she said.

"She sees things, she hears things and is jumpy and uncertain about whether things are there or not."

Rights 'violated'

Jenny also criticised what she sees as a lack of government support.

She said after the alleged rape "a consular officer went to see my daughter a few times and helped me get into the prison" but at a higher level "I've seen nothing".

"You have to question what they're there for," she said.

"I understand there is a judicial process but the issue is her human rights have been violated the whole way through [by the Cypriot authorities].

"I'm shocked that neither the EU or the Embassy or the government through my MP have stepped in to ensure fundamental rights under European law are observed.

"You have this concept that if something goes wrong, you'll be helped by having a British passport - but that's not my experience."

The Foreign Office said in a statement: "Our staff continue to support a British woman and her family following her arrest in Cyprus.

"We have made a number of visits to her in detention, attended court hearings, and are in contact with her legal representatives and the local authorities about her case."

'Preparing for the worst'

The family's lawyer, Michael Polak, told BBC News he was "shocked about the failings" of the Cypriot police's rape investigation and "how determined" they were "to get her to retract her statement".

He said his main aim was to stop the woman being convicted and then "she will be a victim again" and police "would have a discretion" as to whether to investigate the alleged rape.

A police spokesman has previously told newspaper Philenews that "police handled the case with professionalism from the beginning.

"The 19-year-old British woman asked to make additional statements, by which she withdrew the allegations she had made the first time."

Nir Yaslovitch, a lawyer representing some of the Israelis, has previously said video clips made by at least one of those initially accused of rape had contradicted the woman's account.

Jenny said the family were optimistic about the outcome of the trial, but were also "preparing for the worst".

"I have no life, I don't see my friends and family and both of our normal lives are on hold," she said.

"Being out here over Christmas is a nightmare."

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