Fund to help British teen convicted of making up rape claim in Cyprus reaches £80,000
THE fund to help a British teen convicted of making up a gang rape story in Cyprus has hit £80,000.
Well-wishers donated £30,000 in just 24 hours after the verdict on the 19-year-old.
The GoFundMe boost came as the island’s government told Britain to “back off” over claims the UK was meddling in Cyprus’s affairs.
The girl, who we are not naming, vowed to fight to clear her name as she posed for an exclusive picture with her mum.
She said: “The generosity of complete strangers who have donated is overwhelming. I can’t thank them enough.
"We will continue to fight this even if it means going to the European Court of Human Rights.”
The girl, from Derbyshire, had claimed 12 Israelis aged 15 to 19 attacked her in Ayia Napa.
She retracted her statement under questioning. Police said she concocted the claim after learning video of her having consensual sex was posted online.
She faces up to a year’s jail for public mischief when sentenced on January 7.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab expressed “serious concerns” about the trial which lasted almost six months.
But Cypriot attorney- general Costa Clerides said: “The UK must show respect toward our legal system.”
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