Court sentences man after wombat rape claim

Court sentences man after wombat rape claim
Updated: 2008-03-31 09:48

WELLINGTON -- A New Zealand man has been sentenced to community service 
after telling police he had been raped by a wombat and the experience 
had caused him to start speaking "Australian".

Arthur Cradock, a 48-year-old orchard worker from Motueka on South 
Island, rang police on February 11 to say he was being raped by the slow 
moving Australian marsupial at his home, The Nelson Mail re****ted.

He rang back soon afterwards to say he was withdrawing his complaint 
against the wombat, a court was told Wednesday.

"Apart from speaking Australian now, I'm pretty all right you know," he 
told police in the second call.

Cradock pleaded guilty to using a phone for a fictitious purpose and was 
sentenced to 75 hours community work.

Prosecutors said alcohol played a large part in Cradock's life, although 
his defence lawyer said he was not drunk on the afternoon of the phone 
calls.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2008-03/31/content_6577815.htm


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