Rapist's 'spider' defence fails

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An Australian man who reportedly claimed a toxic spider bite compelled him to rape a woman has been jailed after a judge rejected his defence.

Philip Ronald Spiers subjected a woman to a four-hour ordeal after abducting her in a car park in Maitland, 160km (100 miles) north of Sydney in 1997.

Spiers, 41, pleaded guilty but tried to blame his actions on a funnel-web spider bite 12 days before the offence.

A New South Wales judge jailed him for eight years on Wednesday.

The court heard Spiers went to hospital after he was bitten and received a dose of anti-venom, but began suffering from headaches and sensitivity to light, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

'No medical evidence'

He was later diagnosed with possible viral meningitis and spent four days in hospital, according to the newspaper.

But a toxicologist told the District Court of New South Wales there was no medical evidence to suggest a spider bite could make someone commit crime.

Judge Peter Berman told Spiers he must serve at least six years before he would be able to apply for parole.

The Herald reported that suspicion fell on Spiers in 2005, leading to his arrest, after he refused to appear in a television advertisement for his employer saying he did not want to be recognised.

Commonly found in eastern Australia, funnel-webs grow to 4.5 cm (1.8in) in length and their poisonous bite can cause serious illness or death to humans.