ABC has right to defend jailed journalist

News.com.au
22 Jul 2008

IF you've been having trouble sleeping lately, consider the thoughts that must have been keeping Peter Lloyd awake these past few nights.

The veteran ABC reporter, allegedly caught trafficking and in possession of methamphetamine, not only faces serious jail time in Singapore - where even a week inside is plenty serious - but also could cop up to 15 strokes of the rattan.

In fact, caning is mandatory in Singapore for certain offences, including the drug charge under which Lloyd is held. He'll know to expect a caning the second a guilty verdict is reached.

Now, the rattan is not your usual judicial instrument. Made from tropical palm, the rattan cane used in Singaporean jails is about 1.2m long and about 1.3cm wide. It is soaked in water to aid flexibility.

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