Eight cautioned for nude beach antics

FOUR men and four women caught frolicking naked on Avdhimou beach in the British base of Akrotiri in late August were yesterday let off with a caution by Sovereign Base Area (SBA) police.

Two other male nudists in the same group, who were allegedly caught having gay sex, are to appear before a bases court at a later date, once forensic evidence related to the alleged indecent act is ready.

SBA police arrested all 10 nudists on August 25 after observing their behaviour following a tip-off from a member of the public.

The eight cautioned yesterday- four Cypriot men, three English women married to Cypriots and a Bulgarian woman – were charged with indecent exposure shortly after their arrest. They were then released on bail. They could have been fined £80 each for indecent exposure, but, in the event, were only cautioned when they reappeared at the SBA police station yesterday.

The two men allegedly caught having sex face up to five years in prison if convicted of having gay sex in public. Bases spokesman Rob Need yesterday said he could not say when the forensic evidence relating to the case would be ready.

The two men are free on bail.

Until two years ago, Cyprus law outlawed any form of homosexuality. After a five-year battle with the European Court of Human Rights, Cyprus was forced to decriminalise gay sex in private between consenting adults but retained legislation on all other aspects of homosexual activity.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.