‘She’s suffered enough’: Father of one of the Israeli boys accused over Cyprus gang rape says British teenager SHOULDN’T be jailed for ‘lying’ about attack
- Father of one youth accused of gang-raping teen says she shouldn’t be jailed
- Haim Avisor’s son, 17, was in hotel room on night teen claimed she was raped
- He urged the judge to have ‘mercy’ on the young woman when she is sentenced
Shimon Yusufov is pictured with the British teenager. He embarked upon a holiday romance with the British woman before she claims she was attacked
The father of one of the Israeli youths accused of gang-raping a British teenager in Cyprus has said she should be spared jail because she has suffered enough.
Haim Avisor’s son, 17, was in the Ayia Napa hotel room on the night the 19-year-old from Derbyshire claims she was held down and raped by up to 12 youths.
He was arrested along with his friends as police rounded up any Israeli in the hotel.
They were all cleared by police – and allowed to return home – when the British student retracted her statement.
Mr Avisor has urged the judge in Cyprus to have ‘mercy’ on the young woman when she is sentenced after she was convicted of making up the attack – which she denies – by a judge on the island.
The father, 44, said: ‘I have a boy and as a father I feel she has suffered enough, she needs to go home to her family, to her country.
‘I am a sick man and can’t go to Cyprus so all I can do is pray for her. But if I could, I would say to the judge: ‘Please have mercy, it’s out of proportion’.’
He spoke out as an Israeli teenager at the centre of the tawdry affair was named for the first time.
Shimon Yusufov, 18, embarked upon a holiday romance with the British woman before she claims she was attacked. He has denied raping her.
He spoke out as an Israeli teenager at the centre of the tawdry affair was named for the first time. Known as Sam, the teenager lives in a smart flat in Jerusalem with his mother, a hospital worker
Known as Sam, the teenager lives in a smart flat in Jerusalem with his mother, a hospital worker. She declined to comment on the case yesterday.
A picture from one of their nights out together shows the British girl sat on the semi-professional footballer’s lap.
Some of the accused have said they intend to sue the woman for compensation – something Mr Avisor condemned.
‘I think this is evil to do this to her. She has suffered enough,’ he said.
Shimon Yusufov is pictured above. He has denied raping her
‘I see her on the television and cry together with her.’
Mr Avisor, who lives in Afula, northern Israel, said he has always believed his son is innocent.
‘I went to Cyprus when this happened… I told him to tell me the truth,’ he said.
He claimed the ordeal has prompted his son to adopt a stringently religious lifestyle and even shun his mobile phone.
His compassion is in stark contrast to the father of another 17-year-old, who lives in Jerusalem.
He said: ‘Everyone got what they deserved. We knew that it was nothing to do with our son and the authorities got to the truth.’
The teenager’s uncle also defended the heroes’ welcome given to the Israeli youths last July when they were released from custody in Cyprus and flew home.
‘They were jailed for two weeks for no reason so it was a justified celebration,’ he said.