The UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab has reacted with relief at the four-month suspended term sentence that was passed earlier today by the Famagusta District Court against a 19-year-old convicted of a false rape allegation.

Asked whether he would now be making representations to the Cypriot president for a pardon for the young Briton, he said:

“Well I’m relieved that this vulnerable young lady will now be returning home to begin the process of recovery given all she’s been through. I spoke to her mother on Friday. I understand quite how much she’s been through and what her family’s been through. So my first priority, my first concern, has been her welfare. We will be following up on some issues in relation to the case. I spoke to the Cypriot Foreign Minister about that.

“And there is a broader issue for Brits travelling, not just in Cyprus or in the EU, but travelling abroad, whether it’s on holiday, whether it’s backpacking, and making sure they can do so as safely and securely as possible.”

Pressed further whether in light of this case the Foreign Office’s travel advice for Cyprus would be changed, Mr Raab noted: “We keep our travel advice under constant review, but there are no immediate plans. What we will want to do is have a conversation with our Cypriot friends and partners about that case once I’ve downloaded the full facts from the lawyer and the family