Need advertising? After what must have been an incomprehensibly painful month for the families of Hannah and David, the fact that painfully graphic not to mention wholly unnecessary photos of their bodies are being shared online is difficult to understand, particularly given that questions are yet to be answered about what exactly lead to their deaths. The pair insisted that they were innocent and claimed that their earlier admissions were as a result of being tortured. To think that the scum who tortured and murdered a child got off and were able to brag about it later is just unbelievable. Her post which was later removed suggested she believed that the two convicted men might be innocent. They were then recorded at 12.55am leaving, stopping in a convenience store for a toasted sandwich, before walking back to their bungalow. Samyak Choudhary; and The ending of Netflix's Triptych explained, Khlo Kardashian is living her best life on TikTok, Period-proof activewear to stop the leakage fear, Harry and Meghan 'evicted' from Frogmore Cottage. Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but have now been told there is nothing left of them to re-test. ai th pk vf ii pp . [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. But Ms Daniels criticised the 'bungled' police investigation into the murders in a Facebook post in January 2016. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. This is a terrific answer. The men displayed no emotion as they listened intently to a translator while the verdict was read at a court in the province of Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, the capital. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. In 2012, 32-year-old Ben Harrington died in what Thai police said was a motorbike crash, but his parents said they became suspicious of the explanation when officers tried to cremate his body the following day. BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher said Miss Witheridge's father and brother sat with their heads bowed as the evidence was presented in court but continued listening. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. All rights reserved. The family of a woman murdered in Thailand have been "traumatised" by photos being circulated online. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Speaking at the court, Mr Miller's father Ian said he and his wife Sue had come "with an open mind", adding that it had been an emotional time for the family. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. 48 TheVeneficus 5 yr. ago Block of flats among this week's plans Block of flats among this week's plans, Four-bed cottage with amphitheatre style gardens is for sale for 745,000, Defence from Riley Peckham continues as he explains relationship with his father Defence from Riley Peckham continues as he explains relationship with his father, 'You stupid boy!' [4], The victims of the murders were Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old from Hemsby, England, and David Miller, a 24-year-old from Jersey, a Crown Dependency. Rockefeller Audio 2022. Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 25, who were working on Koh Tao were convicted of the murders and Hannah's rape on December 24,2015, and sentenced to death. David and Hannah were found bludgeoned to death on this Thai beach early in September 2014, shortly beforeLin andPhyo were arrested. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun were quickly arrested and later sentenced to death in 2015, a verdict that was upheld by the appeal court in 2017. Police major general, Surachate Hakparn, said in an interview that the police have cracked down on crime syndicates on Koh Tao since the backpackers' double . Luke Miller 2016; She appeared at the Norfolk Safer Community Awards (NOSCAs) in Norwich in 2016 when a new award was presented in memory of Hannah acknowledging the work of police family liaison officers. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5am, a few hours after their deaths. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. That happened very close to my home (like, I could probably see the location if I went for a walk). I stumbled across these once a few years ago and I really wish I hadn't seen them. Prior to your posting to Thailand you must have received a report of this country in terms of its corruption, poverty, murder and crime rates. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. Their bodies were found at 6am. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. September 19: Thai officials collect DNA samples from workers in bars and restaurants in Koh Tao. After you reached Thailand and began your job I am certain that you would have explored Thailand and realized that what you saw in the streets and other parts of Thailand matches what was mentioned in the . However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found close to bungalows where they had been staying, Thai police say two men have confessed to killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, Koh Tao is a popular destination for tourists, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. [15] Public prosecutors initially rejected the report, asking for "certain flaws" to be fixed, more information to be supplied, and for the report to be made "more succinct". If we haven't already, we should delete the crime scene photo previously posted in a "spoiler", out of respect to the family's wishes. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. "Life is too important to take seriously.". [67][21][68] The conviction was primarily guided by the DNA evidence,[67][69] and the court said it did not consider their confessions in making the judgement. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The family said a funeral on Friday would be a private party to celebrate her life. by potty Thu Oct 09, 2014 12:47 am, Post As of July last year, the total stood at ten. They say traces of at least one man's DNA has been found on Miss Witheridge's body. [46] The police then forced the suspects to re-enact the murder in front of media,[34] a move condemned by legal experts as prejudicing a fair hearing. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. by Soi Dog Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:35 am, Post [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. It is claimed Miss Witheridge encountered her attackers, had a conversation with them and may have even shared a cigarette with them before being dragged to her death. Jeffrey Epstein's island is becoming a tourist attraction in the Caribbean here's what the Wonder if anyone here can help. Police said that DNA semen samples taken from Hannahs body were from two men, both Asian. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. A pro-bono legal team defending the men has said evidence collected by police was unreliable and not in accordance with internationally accepted standards, arguing it should not have been used to convict them. I just warned that sometimes people have to be careful today Thailand is safe except there are some bad guys - like anywhere in the world. Taking Vitamin D each day could cut your chances of getting dementia, study claims. [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am. [66], On 24 December 2015, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were found guilty of murdering Witheridge and Miller by the three judges, and were sentenced to death. Mrs Witheridge, 61, said in a statement how the lives of her family had been 'changed forever' by her murder. 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David Miller 2014; [1], A defence team from Bangkok, composed of nearly 20 lawyers, were only permitted half an hour to meet the men; a request by the defence to delay the hearing and allow more time to prepare was denied by a judge at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Defence lawyers also claim the evidence and DNA in the case had been mishandled, making it unreliable. They had no prior criminal records. Police in Thailand investigating the murder of two British backpackers suspect they were killed by two fishermen who then fled in a boat as CCTV images showing the couples last fateful movements in Koh Tao came to light last night. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Read about our approach to external linking. I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. Officers have taken the details of the fishing boats moored off the islands Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao. So sad though! Writing poignantly on the page she said: 'The past year has thrown our lives into disarray, tarnished our trust in anything and everything and made us question humanity. A mistake that many forensic experts say jeopardized the entire investigation.Throughout the investigation and criminal trial, the Thai government and police were heavily criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and the media. "The past three weeks have been unimaginably difficult and there are no words that can adequately describe the heartache and despair that our family is experiencing. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. But they were found innocent by an all white jury. Traumatizing. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Cambodia Expats Online: Forum | News | Information | Blog, Cambodia's Most Popular Expat Community Forums: Breaking News | Blogs | Nightlife | Khmer Culture | Information | Living, Working & Moving to Cambodia, Post Mr Miller's father told ITV News that he did not want the Burmese migrants to be executed even though they 'have done something quite terrible and justice has been given to them'. That is the last time he is seen on camera. Ahead of Hannah's funeral on Friday, her family have released a heart-breaking statement. In recent days there has been widespread speculation in Thailand that police have arrested the wrong men. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. Barcroft David William Miller and Hanna Victoria Witheridge Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. He was last night accused of smearing a murdered British backpacker to protect his countrys tourism industry. [34][35], According to the prosecution in the subsequent case, CCTV footage analysed by the police showed three individuals riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven, where they bought beer and cigarettes, before going towards Sairee Beach. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. Friends told police that Hannah, from Great Yarmouth, and David, from Jersey, left the club together between 3am and 4am. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. The reasons for her admission to hospital have not been disclosed. 9 Oct 2014. Hannah (pictured right with a friend on Koh Tao shortly before she died) was backpacking in Thailand while studying at the University of Essex to be a speech therapist. Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. "Time makes the pain of this horrendous tragedy no easier to bear," they write. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. But they have another dark side to them. [7] Witheridge had completed undergraduate studies in education at the University of East Anglia and had started post-graduate studies in speech and language therapy at the University of Essex. The commissioner visited the murder scene yesterday but his officers were criticised after smiling and taking selfies. This is not for the faint hearted but as you are studying the subject, Im sure you will be fine. "[78] Another commentary in the paper stated that the "overwhelming public skepticism stems from the police's longstanding notoriety for arresting poor and powerless scapegoats to save rich criminals who can afford to buy their innocence". If you are interested, I have further information on my social media accounts. She said it is far from the beautiful country people talk of as she launched a scathing attack on the country saying many Thais had no regard for human life and treated people like dirt, Labelling Thai officials 'corrupt', she said court officials asked her family during the trial: 'Why are you here?' [42][48] Amnesty International stated that Thailand "must initiate an independent, effective and transparent investigation into mounting allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by police". [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. Ms Daniels also revealed at the time that she had been targeted by death treats and sent disturbing photographs of the murder scene. In a police interview Mr Ware told officers that David then told him he was going out to get some cigarettes but another friend revealed he went instead to nightclub AC to meet up with Hannah and her friend Emma Madeline. [55], The defence claimed that the investigation was flawed due to mishandling of forensic evidence, lack of legal representation during interrogations, use of threats and intimidation to secure a confession, and intimidation of witnesses. At 1.26am he is recorded walking from the club, and returns at 1.57am. Copyright 2022 Cambodia Expats Online. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Rocio Gomez; Ms Horton, from Cardiff, was attacked by two Thai fishermen, Bualoi Posit, 23, and Wichai Somkhaoyai, 24, who had spent the evening drinking and swam ashore after watching porn. Video, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story, Prince Andrew offered Frogmore Cottage - reports, Bieber cancels remaining Justice world tour dates, Beer and wine sales in Canada fall to all-time low, Trump lashes out at Murdoch over vote fraud case, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Ed Sheeran says wife developed tumour in pregnancy, Eli Lilly caps monthly insulin costs in US at $35. Sent to a police forensics lab for analysis '' by photos being circulated.! 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