Soldiers cleared of Cyprus brawl

The cleared soldiers had faced up to five years in jail for the incident

Nine British soldiers have been acquitted of starting a mass brawl in a bar in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.

The defendants, who all served with the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers at Dhekelia, on the island, had faced up to five years in jail.

They were celebrating finishing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan when a fight began in the Bedrock Inn on 2 February.

All pleaded not guilty to charges ranging from grievous and actual bodily harm to breach of the peace.

The bar owner, a customer and two soldiers were left injured and needed hospital treatment after the incident.

One soldier, Darren Mason, 28, from Manchester, suffered a fractured skull.

'Audible gasp'

At Famagusta District Court in Paralimni, Judge Elias Georgiou ruled there was not enough evidence to link the servicemen to the offences.

The owner of the Bedrock Bar, Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis, told the court that 20 soldiers threw bottles, attacked staff and smashed everything in sight.

He said a chair was broken over his head, but he managed to lock himself in the toilets until police arrived.

British forces spokesman Captain Nick Ulvert says the soldiers are to return to the UK

Chief Constable Thansis Loizou of Famagusta CID told court during the trial that he was "sure" the accused were responsible.

But the defence said they had not been involved in the brawl and were arrested when they had stayed behind to help injured colleagues.

Cpt Nick Ulvert, deputy spokesman for British Forces in Cyprus, described the reaction in court as the verdict was delivered.

"There was an audible gasp - it was fantastic news," he said.

"A couple of lads slapped each other on the back.

"They smiled and grinned at each other, and there was a lot of disbelief.

"We are absolutely delighted. It has been a long process and a huge pressure."

He added that the soldiers were disciplined for visiting the Bedrock Bar, which was out of bounds.

The Bedrock Inn had been out of bounds to UK forces

Lance Corporal William Sewell, 21, from Manchester was acquitted of grievous bodily harm, malicious damage and breach of the peace.

Lance Corporals David Ramage, 21, from Manchester, and Daniel Brayne, 22, from Birmingham, were cleared of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, along with malicious damage and breach of the peace.

Damien Heywood, 27, Andy Evans, 21, both Lance Corporals, and Dean Rushton, 21 - all from Manchester - Gary Farrell, 23, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Christopher Wenham, 19, from London, and Ashley Hughes, 19, from Birmingham, were found not guilty of malicious damage and breach of the peace.

Cpt Ulvert said all nine would return to the UK on 2 August.

They will now be allowed to rejoin their units in the UK, which are currently on guard duty at royal residences.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said the conclusion of the case meant that the army could consider whether "internal administrative action" should follow.

He added: "We extend our sympathies to those affected by this incident."

In a separate civil action, Mr Hadjiyiannis is pursuing the soldiers for £4m in damages.

Some 3,650 British personnel and civilian workers are based in Cyprus at military bases on the island.

Central Ayia Napa was ruled off-limits to UK service personnel after the rape and murder of Danish tour guide Louise Jensen by British servicemen in 1994.