Koh Tao is by far the smallest. They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their . They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks who build hotels, sweep rooms and serve drinks to the coppery throngs of tourists. British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in September 2014, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the murders in a Thai court and originally sentenced to death, The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Two Burmese migrants were convicted over the killings of Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, in 2015. David Miller, 24. Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered on the Thai island of Koh Tao in September 2014. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. The defense lawyers also claimed Wai had found Davids phone on the beach and was traveling by boat to Surat Thani for his new job on the day he was arrested. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; According to Kingsley Abbott, Southeast Asia legal expert for the International Commission of Jurists, The defense must be afforded adequate time and facilities to explore whether the alleged destruction of evidence in this case was appropriate and unavoidable, and to test the prosecution case overall.. David Miller and Hannah Witheridge only met each other by chance, when they and their friends stayed in adjoining rooms of the Ocean View Bungalows, a small backpacker complex overlooking the white sand sweep of Sairee beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Foreigners die surprisingly often here. Nevertheless, few have rallied to the defense of the accused. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. His former headteacher described him as a bright young man and a talented artist, with real potential to forge a worthwhile and fruitful path in his life. In September 2014, the 23-year-oldUniversity of East Anglia graduate, who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. One of his former teachers,Alan Hamel, reminisced, He was a young man of enormous potential and particularly a talented artist. According to reports, Davids family welcomed the commutation of the sentence. [1][15][16] Miller's body was found floating in the water, and Witheridge's on the beach;[17] the bodies lay approximately 20 metres apart and 30 metres away from their hotel (Ocean View Bungalows). Their death sentences were reduced to life in prison after they were . [71], A lawyer for the men, Nakhon Chomphuchat, said "we will appeal as soon as we can, we have just got a copy of the court's verdict. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. (Police deny these allegations.). [51] The defence provided a separate explanation for the events on the night. Hannah was also raped. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. [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. When the authorities were unable to pin the crime on migrant workers, they turned their attention toward Western tourists related to the victims. My father died when I was very young, says Zaw Lin, so l left school aged 8 and started helping my mother in the fields when I was 10. Facing worsening poverty, around two years ago he paid a broker 5,000 baht ($150) to transport him to Koh Tao, heartened by tales hed heard of fellow villagers who had eked out a successful living there. Theories abound on Koh Tao about who killed Miller and Witheridge. Many raised concerns that contamination cast doubt upon the forensic evidence: officials, journalists and tourists were seen walking around the crime scene, and Thai police did not use trained or independent specialists to collect forensic evidence. [72] The Supreme Court of Thailand upheld the sentence in August 2019, stating that the police handled the case correctly and the forensic evidence was "clear, credible, and detailed". Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. 2023 BBC. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Foreign nationals were also immediately blamed for the crime, with a police spokesman even claiming,Thais would not do this. Their primary focus lay on migrant workers, with many alleging the authorities tortured them with scalding boiled water during interrogations. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". People come to Thailand to get away from it all. [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. WHEN Susan Witheridge heard her daughter Hannah wanted to go to Thailand she was terrified. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. 23 Sep 2014. There are no official figures for the number of expats who call Thailand home, but it likely runs into the hundreds of thousands. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. On Sept. 15, one of the occupants of that same room A5, Hannah Witheridge, was found bludgeoned to death in their midst alongside fellow British tourist David Miller, just a short stumble from her door. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. However, the erstwhile national police chief denied the allegations of torture, although the police refused to cooperate with representatives of Thailands National Human Rights Commission attempting to investigate the serious allegations. [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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014 Two Burmese migrants convicted over the killings had their death sentences reduced to life. Witheridge and Miller are the two British tourists who were found dead after being chopped up on a Thailand beach. The family travelled to see parts of the subsequent trial of the two young Burmese migrant workers accused of the murders, partly paid for by a crowdfunding appeal set up to cover the costs of travel and translation at the hearings. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Because we have learned for generations to take care of visitors. A brand new police station has been built with 40 full-time officers replacing the five previously based here. Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the . "[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". Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. They had only been in the country for days before they were murdered. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. Koh Tao is very safe, says Mayor Chaiyan. David worked as an intern in the St Helier offices of the Australian mining company Consolidated Minerals. Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. However, Zaw and Wai retracted their confession after they were allowed legal counsel, with a consulate lawyer for Myanmar alleging their clients had been beaten, tortured, and threatened to make the admissions necessary to close the widely publicized case. [1] After initially failing to find a match to one of the migrant workers, the police focused their attention on Western tourists related to the victims. Photograph: PA. Rights groups have said the pair were used as scapegoats by the . Hannah Victoria Witheridge se narodila v Hemsby, Great Yarmouth Borough, v Norfolku, Anglie, 15. jna 1990. However, according to Rhys Bonney, an immigration adviser to expats in Thailand, even the legality of scuba-diving instructors is an extremely gray area as Thai work permits are specific to particular company premises. (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). David and Hannah were seen together at a local pub called AC Bar with friends on September 14th, according to reports, before they left together at 1:00 am. The DNA analysis in the case, which was not subject to independent oversight or verification, was provided to the court as a one-page summary with four supporting pages, some of it handwritten with amendments. During the trial, the prosecution also claimed Davids stolen phone was discovered smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lins.
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