A STUDENT accused of stealing part of a 2,000-year-old Roman mosaic from Pompeii has vowed to clear her name.
Cops believe Caprice Arnold, 21, chiselled off 20 floor tiles then put them in her bag.
But she claims she only bent down to inspect the “loose” tiles when she was seized by a caretaker.
Italian police arrived but Caprice said she was denied a translator at the Casa dell’Ancora villa.
She denied putting tiles in her bag and said she was not even searched.
Caprice, now home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, after the trip to celebrate her birthday, said: “I was so scared. I have done nothing wrong.”
“I kept trying to explain but I don’t speak Italian and they didn’t speak English.
“We tried to be as helpful as possible, just thinking they would realise it was all a big misunderstanding.
“They have since said I had tiles and some kind of tool in my bag but that is 100 per cent not true, they did not even search me.
They were told the Italians would send them a letter in the post but they have heard nothing since returning to the UK on Tuesday.
Caprice said: “It ruined the trip from then on and I was not able to enjoy it.
“It was meant to be a 21st birthday celebration.
“We were walking in to the Vatican on Monday when we got the first text from home to say the story was out there and I was mortified.
“That’s why I wanted to tell my side of things.”
Joey, Caprice’s father, fears the Italian Police wanted to make an example of Caprice because of fears in Italy that tourists are ruining Pompeii.
A prosecution source said the case was “highly likely” to go to court.
