Brit’s Ayia Napa ‘rape lie confession’ was written in ‘Greek English’ by cops, says expert
A BRITISH teen's Ayia Napa "rape lie" confession has been revealed for the first time - as an expert claims it was written in "Greek English" by cops.
The 19-year-old girl was convicted of lying in a Cypriot court this week after she retracted her statement about being gang-raped by 12 Israeli men.
And the expert, who works with the National Crime Agency, says there was "very compelling linguistic evidence" it was dictated by someone who isn't English.
He has pointed to certain sentences that appear to be "Greek English"; - such as "the report I did...was not the truth" and "I discovered them recording me doing sexual intercourse".
Five phrases language expert doubts were victim's
- 'The report I did on the 17th of July' - an English speaker would more likely say the 'report I made'
- '[The report was] Not the truth' - Dr Nini says the phrase is 'grammatical' but a native speaker would say 'not true'
- 'Appartment (spelled incorrectly)' - The use of the Americanism is not consistent with the teen's middle-class background and budding university education. She would be more likely to use the word 'flat'
- 'I discovered them' - Dr Nini says this phrase is 'not consistent' with a native English speaker and more likely to be used by someone who speaks it as a second language
- 'Doing sexual intercourse' - an English speaker is far more likely to say 'having sexual intercourse'
'RAPE CONFESSION'
There is also a spelling mistake on the word "apartment", which Dr Nini says is not consistent with the teen's middle-class background and budding university education.
Dr Nini said: "Of the two hypotheses; that it was composed by the defendant or that it was dictated by a local police officer, my conclusion from the linguistic evidence is the latter.
"For example, "doing sexual intercourse" is not something a native English speaker would say. They would say 'having sexual intercourse'."
The expert gave evidence during the trial on the girl's behalf but Judge Michalis Papathanasiou rejected her claims that police coerced her into retracting the gang rape allegation.
She is now facing a year in jail amid growing calls in both Cyrpus and the UK to pardon her following the "unfair" trial.
ATTACK ALLEGATIONS
The girl, from Derbyshire, insists officers questioned her aggressively for hours then made her sign a retraction that they dictated — without any lawyer present.
Despite concerns about the police investigation, her trial went ahead after months of legal wrangling and delay.
Prosecutors claimed she made up the rape out of revenge after the youths filmed her having sex with one lad and posted it online.
Judge Papathanasiou refused to hear evidence on whether she had been raped - which lawyers say was key to the case.
TEN JUSTICE FAILURES
- THE POLICE: The 12 Israelis were allowed legal representation from the beginning — but the teenager had no lawyer when questioned nor when she signed a retraction. Her eight-hour police interview was not recorded by detectives.
- THE JUDGE: Judge Michalis Papathanasiou terrorised the teenager — yelling at her: “Show respect! You must respect this court!”
- DELAYS: The teenager was accused of the minor crime of public mischief. But a case that should have taken days dragged on for five months.
- BAIL: Even though she first appeared in court at the end of July, she was not given bail until the end of August and so spent a month in a cell.
- PTSD: The judge did not take account that the teenager was suffering post-traumatic stress disorder from her rape ordeal.
- WITNESSES: The judge dismissed all of the defence witnesses, including a forensic expert, claiming they were “unreliable”.
- LAWYERS: When the case began the teenager’s Cypriot lawyer Andreas Pittadjis tried to discourage interest in the case by telling journalists: “It’s not a big story.” He was sacked by the teenager’s family.
- RAPE CLAIM: The judge repeatedly refused to hear evidence about whether any rape took place. Campaigners say this turned the trial into a farce.
- THE MAYOR: After the first court hearing on July 26 the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Yiannis Karoussos, threatened to sue the teenager for defamation unless she apologised for claiming she had been raped. At that point she had not even entered a plea.
- TRAVESTY: Ex-MP Ann Clwyd says: “It looks like a travesty of justice. It seems to be far from fair.” Three ex-Cypriot justice ministers agree. They want the teenager pardoned.
He also repeatedly berated the teenager, who wore a mask with stitches on the lips, for not showing enough "respect" to the court and questioned her claims she was suffering PTSD.
Speaking to The Sun today, the teenager pleaded for the PM’s personal intervention before Tuesday’s sentencing hearing.
As pressure grew on No 10 to act, the teenager said: “Every second of this ordeal has been a waking nightmare.
“I’m 19 and all I want to do is clear my name and come home to my family.
“I would say to both the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister, both of whom are fathers, please support me with your actions, not just with your words. Time is running out for me. Please, please help.”
Foreign Office officials today contacted the teenager’s family for the first time but her family say they have still not had any personal contact from ministers or Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.