German teen found guilty of sex abuse in Turkey
Marco Weiss
"Of course we are very disappointed  and I can also say in Marco's name that he feels this verdict is unjust " Weiss' father  Ralf Jahns  told reporters in the family's home town of Uelzen  Germany.
 "This verdict says nothing about Marco's guilt or innocence " his mother  Martina  said  and suggested the court's motivation had been that "the long time in investigative custody had to be justified."
 The verdict follows a lengthy trial that dragged on as the court demanded various reports on the girl's physical and mental condition from British authorities. Some prosecutors and judges in the panel of three overseeing the case were also changed  delaying proceedings. It began as a closed-door trial  with Weiss still a minor and identified only as Marco W. It was later opened to journalists.
 Weiss maintained that he and the girl became close while in the Mediterranean resort of Side  near Antalya  and one night ended up in the girl's hotel bedroom where they had physical contact but no intercourse. He also said the girl had lied about her age and said she was 15 -- the age of consent in Turkey.
 He was arrested the next day  after the girl's mother filed a complaint with Turkish police  and he was held for eight months in custody until being allowed to return home after an appeal from German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
 On his return  Weiss wrote a book -- "Marco W. -- My 247 days in a Turkish prison" -- detailing his time inside the jail in Antalya.
 WeissWeiss' lawyer said he would appeal Wednesday's conviction  arguing that his client should have been cleared on grounds of insufficient proof and shortfalls in the investigation.
 "Marco Weiss should have been acquitted " Mehmet Asim Iplikcioglu said. "We will fight for that until the end."
"Of course we are very disappointed  and I can also say in [TGT]'s name that he feels this verdict is unjust " Weiss' father  Ralf Jahns  told reporters in the family's home town of Uelzen  Germany.
 "This verdict says nothing about [TGT]'s guilt or innocence " his mother  Martina  said  and suggested the court's motivation had been that "the long time in investigative custody had to be justified."
 The verdict follows a lengthy trial that dragged on as the court demanded various reports on the girl's physical and mental condition from British authorities. Some prosecutors and judges in the panel of three overseeing the case were also changed  delaying proceedings. It began as a closed-door trial  with Weiss still a minor and identified only as Marco W. It was later opened to journalists.
 Weiss maintained that he and the girl became close while in the Mediterranean resort of Side  near Antalya  and one night ended up in the girl's hotel bedroom where they had physical contact but no intercourse. He also said the girl had lied about her age and said she was 15 -- the age of consent in Turkey.
 He was arrested the next day  after the girl's mother filed a complaint with Turkish police  and he was held for eight months in custody until being allowed to return home after an appeal from German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
 On his return  Weiss wrote a book -- "Marco W. -- My 247 days in a Turkish prison" -- detailing his time inside the jail in Antalya.
 WeissWeiss' lawyer said he would appeal Wednesday's conviction  arguing that his client should have been cleared on grounds of insufficient proof and shortfalls in the investigation.
 "Marco Weiss should have been acquitted " Mehmet Asim Iplikcioglu said. "We will fight for that until the end."