Teenager accused of rape lie ‘had PTSD’

A BRITISH teenager accused of lying about being gang raped in Cyprus may have retracted her claims because she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), her lawyer said.

The woman, 19, is on trial on the island charged with public mischief for allegedly inventing the attack at an Ayia Napa hotel on July 17.

She maintains she was raped by up to a dozen Israeli tourists, but pressured by Cypriot police to make a retraction statement 10 days later.

Prosecutors say the teenager willingly wrote and signed the document.

Yesterday chartered consultant psychologist Dr Christine Tizzard gave evidence by video link from Portsmouth Crown Court.

Speaking after the hearing in Larnaca, lawyer Michael Polak, director of the group Justice Abroad, which is assisting the teenager, said she was diagnosed as having underlying

PTSD, which was reignited by the alleged attack.

“We were pleased with the evidence from Dr Tizzard, which confirms what we have been saying,” he said.

“She explained in simple words to the court the ways in which PTSD affects someone who is put in a difficult situation.

“Dr Tizzard explained that those suffering from PTSD would have ‘hyperarousal’, which means that if they are put under pressure their fight or flight reflex would kick in and they would do anything to get out of that situation.

“In short, that means that those put in a position such as the one the teenager was when the retraction statement was taken would react in the way she did.”

The case was adjourned following the psychologist’s evidence and a date for forensic linguist Dr Andrea Nini to give evidence is expected to be set at a hearing on Monday.