British woman ‘dragged into hotel and gang-raped’ at Ayia Napa hotel enters court to begin testimony
21 February 2024, 12:42
A British woman has begun giving evidence as five men stand accused of gang-raping her in a hotel room in Ayia Napa.
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The tourist, who was 20 at the time of the attack, appeared in a Cypriot court yesterday ‘with her head held high,’ according to police.
Five men from the Israeli town of Majd al-Krum, all aged between 19 and 20 are accused of raping her after dragging her to a room, which they have denied.
Her testimony is expected to last several days.
The accused have been held at the Island’s central prison since October.
Initially all five pleaded not guilty to charges including rape, sexual assault by penetration, sexual intercourse through violence, rape by compelling sexual penetration and abduction. During police questioning, three of the defendants later admitted having sex with the woman but described it as consensual.
The victim previously told police she was forcibly dragged into a hotel room and raped multiple times while on holiday at the resort.
