An Australian man who kidnapped and raped a woman blamed his actions on a spider, local media reported on Thursday.
Philip Spiers pleaded guilty to the kidnap and rape, but told a court that the poison from a funnel-web spider bite had left him with a viral illness which led to his actions.
But a toxicologist told the New South Wales state District Court there was no medical evidence to suggest a spider bite could be responsible for anger and hatred.
Spiers, who kidnapped and raped the woman in 1997, was sentenced on Wednesday to eight years in jail.
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