Berlin - A German youth charged with the sexual molestation of an English girl in the Turkish resort of Antalya last year will not leave Germany to face the court when proceedings resume next week, his lawyer said Thursday. Marco Weiss, 18, had been undergoing therapy since January, and his doctors had advised against appearing in court on Tuesday, the lawyer, Michael Nagel, said in the city of Hanover.
Weiss is charged with the sexual abuse of an English girl named as Charlotte in April last year. He was 17 and she 13 at the time of the incident that allegedly took place in a hotel room in Antalya.
His 8-month detention and repeated court appearances last year drew media attention in all three countries, as well as criticism in Germany.
Nagel said the decision not to attend the court proceedings had been difficult for Weiss and his family.
The Turkish lawyer acting for Charlotte, Omer Aycan, said he was not surprised at the decision, but that this would make no difference to the court proceedings.
Weiss was freed in December last year, returning to Germany to spend Christmas with his parents amid widespread publicity.
He subsequently gave a television interview, maintaining his innocence, insisting that Charlotte had pretended to be 15 and that she was a willing partner in a sex act that fell short of full intercourse.
Her parents have said that their daughter was raped.
