EXCERPTS FROM HER PRISON DIARY

Late July

I AM surrounded by serious criminals — this scares me as much as it would scare any 18-year-old, by herself, wrongfully arrested. At night I lie awake, sleep will not take me. I can see their faces [the rapists’] in my mind and feel their hands grabbing me, touching me. It makes me sick now.

I miss home more than I can say; I cry about this in the shower. I feel as long as my case is handled by Cypriots, true justice will never be reached. I dream during the day of my cold duvet at home, the plush feel of the down between my fingers and against my face.

Friday, August 9

MUM says I must prepare myself to stay until October. I didn’t cry in front of her but had what most would call a mental breakdown. She visited yesterday and dropped off some new clothes, including new hoodies. They make me feel safer.

I’m shy and riddled with anxiety. I wonder if my friends in the UK will still like me . . . I have just received

my prison ID. I am no longer [her name] but 624/19. They made me sign something, I do not know what, but I did. You would’ve thought I’d have learnt my mistake. I looked at my photo. I look like the terrified young girl I am, my face swollen from illness and bruised from the instances that landed me in here. I am scared but I’m holding on to hope . . . Saturday, August 10

I AM teaching myself Greek . . . the alphabet is very different but once understood it is very simple. Everyone speaks to me in Greek, so I think learning is a wise thing to do.

Mid-August

KIKI has been found with cocaine in her cigarette pack by the Russian, Victoria. She took it and reported it. I’ve been worried that there will be some thorough search with dogs and hundreds of policemen and we will wait for hours in the playing pitch. I worry they will take this book from me. I cannot sleep tonight.