A Dunedin woman who is hundreds of dollars out of pocket after losing part of her lip in a violent street attack is disgusted her attacker will pay nothing in reparation.
The days and nights since her former childhood friend bit a 2cm by 1cm piece off her lower lip have not been easy for Tamsyn Kettings.
The 20-year-old unemployed Dunedin woman said the attack outside a Maori Hill dairy had given her nightmares, a phobia of blood diseases, and left her physically scarred.
"I want reparations for this. It is a disfigurement," she said.
The attack had left her hundreds of dollars out of pocket, including associated medical costs and having to replace blood-soaked clothes and a damaged cellphone.
Miss Kettings said she did not believe the punishment given to Lynley Chekera Teau was appropriate "for biting a chunk of my lip off".
She was attacked following a comment she would call Child, Youth and Family regarding Miss Teau's care of her child, and tried to defend herself with a handbag.
Miss Kettings said she was shocked when Miss Teau latched on to her lip and "I could tell she was not going to let go" until the pair were on the ground covered in blood, and part of her lip had been spat out.
In her victim impact statement, she requested reparations for the incident, but was disappointed her attacker would not pay a cent.
