Police in Cyprus has arrested a 19-year-old British woman on suspicion of filing a false complaint of rape against a group of Israeli teenagers.
The remaining seven teenagers who had been accused of raping the woman are to be released later today.
The woman had initially accused 12 people of taking part in the alleged gang rape but five were released without charge on Thursday when no DNA was found to link them to the incident at the Pambos Napa hotel in Ayia Napa.
The remaining seven accused were due to be released ‘within the day,’ police sources told Reuters.
“Rape never took place,” one of the sources said. The woman is being held on suspicion of public mischief.
Lawyer Yiannis Habaris, who represents two of the seven Israelis, today said that the group was to be released and the woman has been arrested and faces a public nuisance charge.
Mr. Habaris said investigators questioning the woman concluded that her allegations “didn’t stand to reason.”
He said police had earlier provided DNA samples to Israeli authorities to locate three individuals who may have been implicated in the case.
But with the case collapsing, that assistance is no longer necessary.
Cypriot authorities initially arrested 12 Israelis on July 18 following the allegations of rape at the Ayia Napa hotel. Five of them were released on Thursday.
Cyprus police search for three additional Israeli suspects in gang rape
The woman is expected to appear in court on Monday.
A police spokesman in Nicosia said: “A 19-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of making false allegations.”
Mr. Habaris said that his clients were planning to take civil action against their accuser.
Three of the men had admitted to having sex with the woman and said it was consensual. The others all denied rape.
