Singapore fines UK editor for spitting at policeman

A British magazine editor has been fined $8,000 for spitting at a Singapore police officer after an alcohol-fuelled Christmas party last year, his lawyer said Friday. Forgan Duncan, the editor of Tiger Airways' inflight magazine, was fined by a district judge on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to the offence, said lawyer Terence Tan. "He has paid the (Sg$10,000) fine. There will be no follow-up unless the prosecution decides to appeal the decision," Tan told AFP. In his plea, Tan had told the court that Duncan was "extremely remorseful, unconditionally apologetic and thoroughly ashamed for his conduct". Tan added that Duncan, who had gotten drunk at his company's Christmas party at a beach-side club, was not a frequent drinker and could not recall the December 19 incident. The Straits Times said two police officers found Duncan, 34, lying along the side of a road. He verbally abused the officers and was arrested. After being handcuffed, he spat at the face of Sergeant Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, the newspaper said. Besides the fine, Duncan had faced a jail term of up to four years.