Ayia Napa teen, 19, suffered 35 bruises during ordeal but controversial judge dismissed them as jellyfish stings
THE Brit teen convicted of a gang rape lie suffered 35 bruises during her ordeal — but the judge dismissed them as jellyfish stings.
An examination of the student, 19, by a pathologist revealed painful marks to her knees, upper legs, eyes and bottom.
But the controversial judge in the Cyprus case, Michalis Papathanasiou, ruled she got them taking a dip in the sea.
Forensic pathologist Dr Marios Matsakis said: “The bruises I sketched show force was clearly exerted on her body but the court accepted they were jellyfish stings, which is ridiculous.
“I said the presence of the injuries that I saw in my view were consistent with rape. Anybody who has any medical experience can see they are not jellyfish stings.
“This case was very strange from the beginning and excluded many aspects including a background of the girl’s medical and health state.”
The teen initially claimed she was attacked by 12 young Israeli men at a hotel in party resort Ayia Napa.
She said Cypriot cops then made her falsely confess to lying about it.
But she was last week convicted of public mischief after a stop-start, farcical trial and faces up to a year in jail when sentenced on Tuesday.
Police there initially arrested the Israelis but they were later released without charge and allowed home, where they were pictured dancing and chanting: “The Brit girl is a whore.”
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The botched investigation has been dubbed like “Keystone Cops” by the local Cypriot media. The teenager’s lawyer Michael Polak added: “Dr Matsakis is a very experienced forensic pathologist who has given evidence in Australia, Israel, Greece, and the higher courts in Cyprus.
“His position was that the indication was that the teenager was subject to rape.”
The girl, from Derbyshire, has had to put her university studies on hold and has been unable to leave Cyprus since July after cops seized her passport.
GANG'S 'CHEQUERED PAST'
SOME of the Israeli youths in the Cyprus case have been expelled from school, put in rehab and have posted footage of women being abused, reports claim.
Seven were filmed celebrating with champagne and chanting “the Brit is a whore” when they arrived home in August last year.
Their lawyers said they were well-behaved youngsters and “outstanding students”.
But reports have emerged claiming several of them and their families have links to top-ranking Israeli officials and politicians.
And it is stated many had been kicked out of schools, others had final warnings for their behaviour and one was even in a rehab centre.
There are also claims that while in Cyprus in July they posted a video on Instagram of a girl being harmed.
Twenty people filed complaints with the Tel Aviv police about their celebration when they returned but the case was closed without any investigation, it is said.
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