Court sentences man after wombat rape claim

File photo shows a zookeeper with a junior wombat. (Photo: chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, April 1 -- 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 Feb. 11 to say he was being raped by the slow moving Australian marsupial at his home, The Nelson Mail reported.

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 defense lawyer said he was not drunk on the afternoon of the phone calls.

(Source: China Daily/Agencies)