"[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". It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. 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. A process of registering irregular Burmese migrant workers has been introduced to tackle the semiofficial bribes, though many say abuses continue unabated. [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. Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court Torture allegations aside, the proceedings have been peppered with oddities. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. One belonged to David, and one belonged to an unknown Asian male. Thai beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's sister Laura dies in hospital One of the three suspected individuals was identified as Mau Mau, a local living nearby. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. 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 bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. 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". David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. The convictions were mired in controversy, with supporters of the two men arguing they had been framed because their initial confessions were made under duress. 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. Dilleen Hempel Murder: Who Killed Her? Witheridge was a graduate from the University of East Anglia who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. 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. These rocks are no strangers to explosive secrets. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. The police quickly elicited a confession and, after a macabre reconstruction of the murders before a swarm of media including a staged session of penitent prayers by the accused probably hoped that the case looked closed. The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. [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). Thai king commutes Myanmar men's death sentence over Britons' murder, Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death, British backpacker murder case that put Thailand on trial, WhyUK role in backpackers murder case still worries rights groups, Why UK role in case still worries rights groups, in a statement released by the Foreign Office. Traditional longtail boats, a rainbow of scarves adorning their bows, bob on the lapping water of the glistening bay. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. 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. Police obtained CCTV footage from local bars and restaurants and zeroed in on three men riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven on the night of the murder. Call Us Today! Death Island on Apple Podcasts They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. The murders of Witheridge and Miller sent shock waves through Thailand. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Drugs play a key role. 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. Scared is right. [10][32] They highlighted a British tourist who had shared a room with Miller as a suspect, labelling it a "crime of passion"; he became the subject of a nationwide manhunt before the police quickly dropped the lead. Its something but its not enough, he says. 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. 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. More recently, a court order to allow Dr. Pornthip to review the DNA evidence was rescinded. But it unraveled just as quickly. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. The children always loved her. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo know this too well. This was very different. Powered by. 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. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. Witheridge and Miller are the two British tourists who were found dead after being chopped up on a Thailand beach. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". British backpacker Thailand murders: What happened to David Miller and "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.". 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. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. According to reports, both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. [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. 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. By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. The largest and most developed is Koh Samui, which also boasts the archipelagos only international airport. These samples purportedly match those retrieved from Witheridges corpse. [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. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. 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. [42][43] Early police reports said Miller's mobile phone was also found in Zaw Lin's home,[44][45] although the media had previously reported the phone was handed to police by a friend of the victim. 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. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. Thailand: Koh Tao Murder Trial Exposed. Ugly Truth of 'Land of Smiles "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". He was returning from a placement in Australia when he stopped in Thailand for a holiday with a friend. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15. [58] Ostensibly, Wai Phyo changed jobs at the end of September and was travelling by boat to Surat Thani for his new job on the day he was arrested. Hannah Witheridge murder: Mum begged backpacker not to go to Thailand 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. His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. [15], Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo retracted their statements following a visit from a consular lawyer for Myanmar and said they had made their statements under duress, after they had allegedly been beaten, left naked in a freezing room, and threatened with electrocution and an extrajudicial killing. 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. Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death 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. Murdered backpacker's sister Laura Daniels died while pregnant 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. After the court ordered the DNA to be tested again on July 10, the head of Thailands Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA sample on the hoe did not match the defendants. "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. Thailand murders: Hannah Witheridge and David Miller anniversary Both were. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. Her family parents Tony and Sue, brother Paul and sisters Tania and Laura described Witheridge as a beautiful person, inside and out, saying she would have gone on to make a significant difference to the lives of many people. As the investigation continues and new evidence emerges, it seems that the . That the victims were tourists automatically drew more attention, says Thai political analyst Saksith Saiyasombut. This is troubling when set against the allegations of torture made by the accused. The two men were convicted and sentenced in 2015 and the verdict was upheld by an appeals court in 2017 and the Supreme Court in August 2019. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. 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. He hailed fromJersey, a Crown Dependency, and graduated from Victoria College in 2008. True Crime: In September of 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao's famous Sairee beach, dead. Magazines, Digital They were identified as 24-year-old David Miller and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, [] View Photo Gallery (PIX11/CNN) A British man and woman were found dead on a popular resort island in . Miller, a year older and from Jersey, also suffered blows to the head and left to drown in the shallow surf. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". The only items still available for retesting were objects found around the crime scene, including the suspected murder weapons, but one witness claimed that these had been washed. For while the surf has washed the blood from the sand, and life returns to normal for the islands hodgepodge of wealthy and penniless inhabitants, one fact remains clear: not just the boulders hide secrets on Koh Tao. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. When the authorities were unable to pin the crime on migrant workers, they turned their attention toward Western tourists related to the victims. 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.Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. 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. Mr Miller's family said they were "grateful" to the Thai king. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Case over Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's deaths on Thai island
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