The 18-day trial of the two defendants, divided into three equal parts over several weeks, began on July 8. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. Its something but its not enough, he says. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. [79] Rumours began to circulate, with residents on the island saying the island is controlled by a mafia who "have information about the true culprits", and claimed that the police is covering for them. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. According to reports, the bodies were partially clothed, and the officers also located three cigarette butts and a used condom nearby. [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". 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel. 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. Her autopsy report showed she had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Both were. Of the 25 million foreign visitors who touch down in Thailand each year, half a million grace Koh Tao, the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Thai Gulf. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, of Jersey were bludgeoned to death with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel room late at night. White sand beaches, untouched jungles, cloudless skies. 2040 / 2557", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koh_Tao_murders&oldid=1150069590, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 05:03. (modern). Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death The experience was clearly a very difficult one, with relatives walking out at one point when the court was shown images of Witheridges body, and heard details of her injuries. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 With tourism critical to Thailand's e. 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. Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. They flee extreme poverty and ethnic violence in Burma (officially now known as Myanmar), the legacy of a half-century of civil war and suffocating military dictatorship. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. Death Island on Apple Podcasts [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. [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. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. The next in size is Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon parties, with a reputation for drugs and debauchery. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [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. But it unraveled just as quickly. [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). Wai Phyo, a Real Madrid fanatic who idolizes FIFA world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo, moves a virtually hairless top lip as he talks. With no leads or suspects, the police wildly speculated who the culprit might be as they alleged several individuals to be the supposed killer without any evidence. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve. Sister, 30, of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge dies [4][11][14] Their bodies were discovered on Sairee Beach a few hours later, between 4 and 5am, by a mute Burmese beach cleaner. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. And right in the foreground, rising proudly from sliver sands, protrude a scattering of granite boulders, a furtive relic of this tranquil 21-sq-km (8 sq. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo found guilty of the murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller The victims: two lives cut short Why UK role in case worries rights groups The case that put Thailand. Despite so many alleged loopholes in the investigation procedure, the court found Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo guilty of murder and sentenced them to death on December 24, 2015. "We hope that these two murderers will now spend a very, very long time in jail where they cannot harm other families and will have time to reflect on the consequences of their acts.". 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. How Did Steven Beirnes Die? funny ways to say home run grassroots elite basketball Menu . [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. 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 Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller-Death Island 2145/2559, "Two British tourists found dead on Thai island of Koh Tao", "Suspects in Thai Tourist Murders Face Dubious Trial", "Manhunt underway after brutal murder of 2 British tourists on Koh Tao", "Thailand's paradise island murder mystery", "What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side", "Thailand's Supreme Court upholds death penalty for men convicted of murdering British backpackers", "Koh Tao DNA evidence & international standards", "Thai court upholds death penalty for murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death", "Thailand beach murders: A flawed and muddled investigation", "Koh Tao murders: DNA matches, confessions obtained, crime re-enacted", "Hearings Open Into Killings of Two British Tourists on Thai Island (Published 2014)", "Thai king commutes death sentence for Myanmar men in British tourist murder case", "Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say", "The Investigation Into Thailand's Backpacker Slayings Is Officially a Farce", "Migrants accused of murder of British couple in Thailand recant confessions", "Thai Dictator Faces Ire Over Murder Probe", "Koh Tao murder suspects plead not guilty", "Burmese pair to be executed for murder of British tourists on Koh Tao, Thailand", "2 Sentenced to Death in Killing of British Tourists in Thailand (Published 2015)", "Thailand murders: Two men found guilty and face death for UK killings", "Thai beach murders: Convicted men lose death sentence appeal", "Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court", "Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency", "Koh Tao pair claim they were tortured before confessing", "Thai beach murders: DNA investigation into death of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller 'incompetent at best', "Koh Tao murders: suspects in killing of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge say they were framed", "Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered", "Thai Paradise Gains Reputation as 'Death Island', "Foreign Office calls in Thai diplomat over murder inquiry concerns", "Thailand murder suspects can't have British police report: UK judge", "Thai officials on alert as Myanmar protests spread", "Prayut lashes out at Myanmar Koh Tao protestors", "Thailand's Migrant Worker Woes Exposed in Koh Tao Murder Case", "Govt vows "high-tech" defence against hackers", "Island killings prompt stiffer worker rules", "Contesting narratives: the Koh Tao tourists murders", "Unofficial translation of Koh Samui Provincial Court No. One belonged to David, and one belonged to an unknown Asian male. According to reports, Davids family welcomed the commutation of the sentence. [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. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. [37] Two weeks after the bodies were found, on 1 October 2014, police interrogated Mau Mau, who said he took the motorcycle and separated from the other two men before the murders occurred, and found them both home asleep by the time he had returned. Far from official oversight, de facto control falls to the owners of booming hospitality businesses that were developed on land originally obtained, via government concessions, for coconut plantations. [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. . They also pointed out several mistakes the incompetent investigators committed during the probe and alleged the officers restored to torture to make the defendants admit to the crime. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. They had no prior criminal records. Post-mortem examinations showed that the young backpackers, who. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. The episode tries to deconstruct the complex case for the listeners as it narrates the incidents chronologically and questions several alleged incompetencies in the murder probe. Forensic evidence is processed independently in the U.S. or U.K. and many other jurisdictions around the world, safeguarding a proper chain of custody. Family members of Hannah Witheridge comfort one another at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok, on Sept. 18, 2014, Burmese migrant workers Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court, in Koh Samui, Thailand, on July 8, 2015, Police measure footprints of a man as data is collected from people who work near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao, Thailand, on Sept. 19, 2014, David Miller, 24, from Jersey, left, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, Thailand is Suffering From The Worst Drought in Decades. Thailand: Koh Tao Murder Trial Exposed. Ugly Truth of 'Land of Smiles They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. David Miller, 24. Defence lawyers claimed. [77], An opinion piece in Bangkok Post wrote that "practically no one believes [Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo] really brutally murdered English tourists", adding "in Thai media of all kinds, the consensus is that Win and Zaw Lin are scapegoats. Some work on fishing boats for years without seeing land, getting passed between trawlers, catching fish, squid and shrimp for American dinner tables. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. Death Island on Apple Podcasts Others labor for long hours under the burning sun farming pineapples, exposed to hazardous doses of pesticides and other chemicals. 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. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; Legally, it would seem quite easy to shut these dive shops down., Insecure residency tends to breed compliance. Zaw and Wai were each indicted on five charges, including premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offense, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. The family said it had brought to a close a "lengthy and disturbing period" where activists on social media had attempted to influence justice in Thailand and public opinion elsewhere. Only if they are not beautiful." A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. According to the prosecutors, the defendants used the garden hoe to knock Hannah unconscious and held her down as they raped her before murdering her. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. One of the three suspected individuals was identified as Mau Mau, a local living nearby. Telegraph.co.uk. However, the Thai police have denied these allegations and termed them baseless. Ill never meet anyone like her. Lucy and Hannah were both receiving training to help people with speech difficulties, and Lucy said Hannah wanted to go on to work with children. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The island is known as a haven for scuba divers. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. Hannah met David Miller 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. That would be absolutely in his character.. British backpacker Thailand murders: What happened to David Miller and The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. They were seen buying beer and cigarettes before taking a shortcut route to Sairee Beach. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September last year. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. Feuding here is common and vicious. Both men, in their early 30s, are presumed to be serving their sentence in some Thailand prison. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. He was ultimately arrested a few hours later while hiding on the vessel. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015, after being found guilty of killing David Miller, 24, of Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, of Norfolk. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller - Casefile True Crime [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. A mute Burmese beach cleaner discovered the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning at Ocean View Bungalows. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. She was buried the following month near her family home following a service billed as a celebration of her life, with mourners encouraged to wear bright colours. The bodies of David Miller, 24, from Jersey and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. islands volcanic inception. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. 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. After unsuccessfully trying to find their possessions, they walked towards Mau Mau's house through the shortcut, which resulted in them being caught on CCTV. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. V z 2014 23let absolventka University of East Anglia, kter studovala magistersk titul v oboru logopedie. Sean McAnna (25), from Shotts near Glasgow, was a friend of David Miller, the tourist whose body was found last week on Koh Tao island along with that of Hannah Witheridge. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. The families of Miller and Witheridge even put out a statement saying the evidence against Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo was powerful and convincing. This assertion was facilitated by the U.K. Foreign Office despite being prejudicial toward the possibility of a fair trial. [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. David Miller is from the island of Jersey in the English channel between the United Kingdom and France. +(91)-9821210096 | paula deen meatloaf with brown gravy. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. In a statement, Ian and Sue Miller, who have campaigned against the death penalty, said: "We are grateful to His Majesty the King of Thailand for showing his clemency to the murderers of our son David. I did feel safe, but that is scary.. [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. Case over Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's deaths on Thai island They threatened to kill me, saying: We can throw you into the sea and feed your corpse to the fish.. [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. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller : r/Casefile - Reddit Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in 2014 By Stephanie Cockroft 15 August 2020 A pair of migrant workers convicted of murdering two young British tourists on a Thai holiday. The police removed the bodies to prevent them from being swept up in the rising tide as the locals blocked the pier to stop the unidentified killers from leaving the island. 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 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. [47][75][12] Human Rights Watch said the case was "profoundly disturbing" and called for the verdict to be reviewed in a "transparent and fair appeal process". . The DNA specialist conceded the perpetuators could've used gloves. 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. Jej rodina ji popsala jako ivouc" a nkoho, kdo rd . Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, one of the U.K.'s Channel. Yet it remains an open secret that organized crime is rampant on these islands, says Saksith. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. How Did Steven Beirnes Die. It was said the pair went swimming on the same beach earlier that night, and when they got out of the water they found their clothes had disappeared. There were 362 U.K. citizens who met their end in Thailand in 2014, more so even than in France, which attracts almost 20 times as many British visitors. Thai beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's sister Laura dies in hospital They also. 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. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. Witheridge was a graduate from the University of East Anglia who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. [39] Following an interrogation, during which police say Zaw Lin admitted he had entered the country illegally, Zaw Lin was arrested and his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. A mute Burmese beach cleaner stumbled upon the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning on Sairee Beach, near Hannahs room A5 at Ocean View Bungalows. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. Thailand backpacker murders: bar workers found guilty of killing British tourists, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Nevertheless, few have rallied to the defense of the accused. A verdict is expected in October and they could face the death penalty if convicted. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. Murderers of Brit backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to be Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. WHEN Susan Witheridge heard her daughter Hannah wanted to go to Thailand she was terrified. Possessing no official status or documents, their vulnerability is extreme, and complaints of rape, extortion and physical violence are legion.

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