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Singapore jails drunk N. Zealander for biting policewoman

SINGAPORE: A New Zealand woman has been jailed in Singapore for six and half months for biting a policewoman's arm after a drunken night out while visiting her sister.

Katie Christina Rakich arrived in Singapore one evening in June, already slightly drunk, and headed for dinner with her younger sister and her sister's boyfriend, court documents showed.

The 27-year-old drank beer during the meal and the group later headed to another bar where she had more drinks.

They returned to the sister's apartment in the early hours.

But Rakich became rowdy and started yelling and causing a mess, prompting her sister -- who reportedly works in Singapore as a teacher -- to call the police.

Rakich was arrested and driven to a police station. As she was being brought out of the vehicle, she bit the left arm of a female police officer accompanying her.

"The bite was very forceful and caused the victim great pain," prosecutor Benedict Teong told the court, adding that she only let go after another officer intervened.

"When she released her bite, the (accused's) mouth was observed to have blood on it."

Later Rakich punched another female officer in the ear at the police station.

The policewoman who suffered the bite was treated at hospital and given tetanus and hepatitis shots and as a precaution drugs that reduce the likelihood of being infected with HIV.

Rakich was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail, officials confirmed. The Today news portal reported she was jailed Monday after pleading guilty to causing hurt to a public servant. -- AFP

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