Holiday isle waiter is jailed for rape

A Greek waiter has been jailed for seven years for raping a 26-year-old British woman on holiday in Faliraki, Rhodes.

The sentence is the longest imposed in Greece for rape and comes as authorities fight to improve the beach resort's reputation following a record number of rapes last year.

The latest attack took place at the height of last year's summer season, when thousands of young Britons holidayed in Faliraki.

Stelios Kornilakis, 40, drove his victim to a remote spot after offering her a lift home from his taverna, the court heard. Her identity was not revealed, but Rhodes prosecutor George Economou praised her bravery.

Kornilakis's sentence was suspended pending appeal on the grounds his wife is pregnant.

Greek authorities are now under massive pressure to clean up Faliraki. They are also anxious to ensure the Olympics in Athens this summer are not marred by adverse publicity.

But Greek newspapers claim that UK tour operators are planning "beach sex Olympics" to coincide with the Games.