overturned his nine-month prison sentence.

Donald William Raether was sent to prison for nine months by Senior Magistrate Will Francis for grabbing a woman's arm and her breast on the dance floor of the Oasis night club last month.

Raether, 26, a native of Atlanta, had admitted to one charge of sexual assault and one charge of grievous bodily harm on the woman's boyfriend.

But yesterday Chief Justice Austin Ward reduced Raether's sentence to one month in prison on each count.

Raether's lawyer Mark Pettingill said the sentence was appealed on the grounds that it was harsh and excessive.

Mr. Pettingill said his client, like everyone, was entitled to a fair hearing and during the Magistrates' Court proceedings, Raether's character witnesses were not heard properly.

Similar cases where defendants received lighter sentences were also cited yesterday.

Mr. Pettingill referred to an English case where a man squeezed a woman's breast and received a ten-day prison sentence and a fine.

Raether, a locksmith on a short term contract at the Southampton Princess hotel, attended the Oasis Nightclub, in January, where he found the woman on the dance floor with a friend. He grabbed her left arm and then her left breast and said: "Let's have some fun.'' The woman managed to escape his grasp and told Raether she was going to find her boyfriend.

Raether replied: "I don't give a damn. I am leaving the Island anyway.'' Her boyfriend intervened and the two men struggled but Raether got the better of him.

During the struggle, Raether bit the complainant's finger.

The man was taken to hospital where an X-ray revealed he had no broken bones, although there was extensive tissue damage. Raether was due to leave the Island early this month.

At the time of the Magistrates' Court proceedings, duty counsel Richard Horseman said Raether was unable to shed any light on the incident because he was too drunk at the time.

Raether's employers told the court that his actions were totally out of character and they wanted him to seek counselling.

Mr. Francis told the defendant: "I have looked at this case in every way possible,'' he said. "I have given you credit for your previous clean record, your good character, and your guilty plea.

"But you grabbed a complete stranger. This couple were given a real hard time by you. You sexually assaulted this young lady and you bit the young gentleman who was with her.'' Mr. Francis said there was no other way for him to deal with this other than through a custodial sentence.

But yesterday Mr. Justice Ward reduced the sentence to one month on each count. The sentences were to run concurrently.

Raether has been in prison since last month and therefore left court a free man.