Rape suspects still awaiting court decision

The five Israeli nationals, aged between 19 and 20, accused of raping a 20-year-old British tourist in Ayia Napa on September 3, will remain in custody for one more day, the Famagusta district court decided on Tuesday.

The court’s decision on whether the suspects would be detained until their trial, set for October 5, was initially expected on Tuesday. However, the court did not issue a decision and ordered that the suspects remain in custody until Wednesday for a final determination.

On Monday, the Famagusta district court referred the five suspects for a direct trial before the permanent criminal court of Famagusta.

They are charged with rape, sexual assault by penetration, sexual intercourse through violence, rape by compelling sexual penetration, indecent assault against a woman, sexual harassment, and abduction.

The 20-year-old woman reported to the police that she was a victim of rape by a group of individuals in a hotel in Ayia Napa.

Testimonies were secured against the five, who were subsequently arrested.

The five men denied raping the 20-year-old, who however, had identified four of them in a line-up before returning to the UK.

According to the Daily Mail, she had bruises and injuries consistent with an attack and a statement from her was read out by the prosecutor which went into the horrific assault, and which is too graphic to publish.

The court also heard several staff had witnessed the aftermath of the alleged attack and would testify at the hearing – including how they saw the victim fleeing by climbing from a window on the second floor of the hotel.

A forensic search of the room where the attack happened found traces of blood on the floor and on sheets on the bed.