US Tourist Sentenced in Oktoberfest Lip Biting Incident

Posted: 7:02 pm, December 22, 2013 by Jeffrey Ely

Emergency services at the Oktoberfest - photo: dpa

An American tourist visiting the famous Munich Octoberfest, Tesia D., was sentenced to one year and nine months suspended after she ripped off three centimeters of flesh from a 23-year-old man’s lip according to the German court.

Hofbrau tent at Oktoberfest in Munich — photo: dpa

Bild newspaper reported on Tuesday that a fight then started during which the 30-year-old American bit down on the lower lip of Australian for several seconds. A piece of flesh was ripped from his lip.Victim, Australian Ben M., was celebrating in the popular Hofbrau tent at the beer festival with friends on September 27 when Tesia D. put her elbow in one of his friend’s faces.

She told the court on Monday: “I find it difficult to explain why I did it.” Doctors tried to sew the lip back on that day but the operation did not work. The piece of flesh died off.

Ben, from Melbourne, told police: “She took my lip between her teeth and bit harder and harder. I tried to break away. She turned her head and tore my lip off. My lip was lying on the floor. I thought I was unconscious.”

Tesia D. paid Ben €11,000 compensation, Bild reported, but in an email to the court he said he was still suffering.

“I had to learn to speak again. I can’t kiss anymore,” the man lamented. Tesia has been in prison since the attack and is due to fly back to the US on Tuesday.