Read about our approach to external linking. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. However, the defense counsel argued all the evidence against the defendants was circumstantial, and the police had no known eyewitness to the murders. These rocks are no strangers to explosive secrets. Murdered backpacker's sister Laura Daniels died while pregnant [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. 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. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. Typically, they work seven days a week for a pittance, sleeping in bamboo shacks erected in jungle clearances. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. [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". Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel. 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. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. News reports stated officers rounded up200 alleged suspects, most migrant workers, and used mass DNA testing. Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. They partied together, with the couple last seen together at a local bar called AC Bar with friends on September 14. Sister of murdered Brit backpacker died 9 weeks into pregnancy and 'no In September 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller only met by chance while backpacking on the island, but when their bodies were found together on Sairee Beach, they would become linked forever by a tragic mystery. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Greg Shepherd, 34, from Luton in the U.K., tells TIME he witnessed a man getting shot in the face in a bar north of Sairee Beach in the mid-2000s. [48][35] A 900-page police report was produced to guide the prosecution's case, but the defence were not allowed to see the report until the trial began. Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. Case over Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's deaths on Thai island Call Us Today! Scared is right. "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.". Telegraph.co.uk. [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. Pensions and incomes that would be less than optimum in Europe, say, or North America, can fund a life of carefree hedonism in Thailand. 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. Its also reported that Witheridge had been raped prior to her death, those reports were later found to be unfounded. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". 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. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. david and hannah thailand crime scene photos - flagpin.com [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. They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. The crimes brutality amid Koh Taos insular, backpacker charm caused an international sensation and threatened to further weaken a tourist industry already reeling from the military coup of May 22, 2014, which saw hundreds arbitrarily detained and draconian new controls imposed on freedom of speech and assembly. When the bodies of British tourists 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller were found brutally murdered on the remote Thai island of Koh Tao, the police immediately concluded that the killer had to be a foreigner, as a Thai person couldn't be capable of such brutality. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a master's degree. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. The families that run the island and police that guard it deny any involvement with narcotics. Witheridge is a native of Great Yarmouth in the Southwest coast of England. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. 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. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. [15] Some migrants who were questioned complained that officers scalded them with boiling water during interrogations, allegations which were denied by the police. (modern). Others labor for long hours under the burning sun farming pineapples, exposed to hazardous doses of pesticides and other chemicals. Few of the visitors on Sairee Beach today are even aware the murders took place. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. True Crime: In September of 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao's famous Sairee beach, dead. 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. 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. [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. David worked as an intern in the St Helier offices of the Australian mining company Consolidated Minerals. "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. Death Island on Apple Podcasts According to reports, the investigators had allegedly left them unclothed in freezing rooms and threatened to electrocute them. Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short The two young tourists were killed in the early hours of 15 September, 2014, after which their relatives. Read More: Dilleen Hempel Murder: Who Killed Her? Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15. Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. These samples purportedly match those retrieved from Witheridges corpse. 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. The investigators claimed the semen sample retrieved from Hannahs body and the forensic evidence found on the murder weapons and cigarette butts matched their DNA samples. 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.. So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. [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. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Death Island podcast follows the Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. 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. Hannah had been bludgeoned to death a few feet from her room door alongside her fellow British tourist David Miller. They toil in slavelike conditions for pitiful wages in occupations typically described as 3-D dirty, dangerous, degrading. [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. Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. Photograph: PA. Rights groups have said the pair were used as scapegoats by the . One of his former teachers,Alan Hamel, reminisced, He was a young man of enormous potential and particularly a talented artist. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. However, the investigators quickly dismissed him as a suspect. Foreigners die surprisingly often here. And the shambolic investigation also didnt help.. Possessing no official status or documents, their vulnerability is extreme, and complaints of rape, extortion and physical violence are legion. [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. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Read about our approach to external linking. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller Murders: Where Are Zaw Lin & Wai Phyo 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. By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Zaw and Wai were subjected to hours-long interrogation sessions, with the police using Burmese food vendors as interpreters since the pair did not speak Thai. Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. According to reports, David and Hannah arrived separately on the island with their friends on August 25, 2014. hannah witheridge and david miller - diyalab.com There are no official figures for the number of expats who call Thailand home, but it likely runs into the hundreds of thousands. [31][65] Jane Taupin, an Australian forensic scientist brought in by the defence, claimed that the timeline of DNA extraction was dubious; a rapid analysis of DNA samples had happened in less than 12 hours,[34] which she said was unusual because "extracting DNA from mixed samples was difficult and time-consuming". She added, She always got along well on placement. The DNA specialist conceded the perpetuators could've used gloves. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. (Thailand is the worlds third-largest seafood exporter.) [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. A process of registering irregular Burmese migrant workers has been introduced to tackle the semiofficial bribes, though many say abuses continue unabated. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? 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. Is climate change killing Australian wine? bubble tea consumption statistics australia. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao", "Links revealed between police and migrants on Koh Tao", "Police: Still no suspect in killings of Britons on idyllic Thai island", "Thai king commutes death sentence of UK pair's killers", "Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', "Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short", "Thailand murders: Victims' families talk of senseless killings", "Hannah Witheridge's family pay tribute to "beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman", "British backpackers murdered in Thailand named as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand murders: Amnesty International call for police torture probe", Koh Samui Provincial Court No. Turtle Island's Dark Secret: The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridges injuries were to her head. A royal decree said the sentences had been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday on 28 July and to "illustrate the king's clemency". Is climate change killing Australian wine? [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. 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. In fact, says Sean Turnell, a professor and expert on Burmese economics at Australias Macquarie University, The economic circumstances of Myanmars majority rural population are now marginally worse than before the reforms were launched.. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. He was interrogated and captured while his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. You have reached your limit of free articles. [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. However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. [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. Theories abound on Koh Tao about who killed Miller and Witheridge. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller suspects 'thought she was being 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. Hannah Witheridge murder: Mum begged backpacker not to go to Thailand One of Wai Phyos former employers, who saw him soon after Sept. 15 and noticed no perceivable change in his demeanor, has refused to be a character witness or be named by TIME. The Supreme Court of Thailandupheld the sentence in August 2019. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. 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. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in Thailand in 2014 Aug 17, 2020 Rex The two Burmese men who were jailed for killing British backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David. Nevertheless, few have rallied to the defense of the accused. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. 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. She was a real natural with them.. Naturally, a pall of silence engulfs this clannish, cliquey atoll, owing in no small part to the legal standing of its foreign contingent. Ive not been threatened, but Ive too much to lose, he says. "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.". Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. [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. [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. [1][96], Although tourist arrivals to Koh Tao dropped in the months immediately following the murders, there was little lasting effect on tourism to the island.[92]. The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller-Death Island 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. A year after Millers death his parents unveiled a memorial for him, a bench on the north coast of his home island, inscribed, Never let a person sit alone. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. But in December, in a statement released by the Foreign Office, they said they were confident in the Thai polices work. More recently, a court order to allow Dr. Pornthip to review the DNA evidence was rescinded. [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". 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? 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. Both were. (Facebook). 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. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. He hailed fromJersey, a Crown Dependency, and graduated from Victoria College in 2008. Thai beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's sister Laura dies in hospital 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. What the Murder of Two Young British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. I had no idea, says Jordi Cramer, 21, a waitress from Edmonton, Canada, when TIME speaks to her strolling past the granite-hemmed crime scene. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 Death Island: The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller en Apple The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. [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. Defence lawyers claimed. Witheridge was a graduate from the University of East Anglia who had been studying for a masters degree in speech and language therapy. Officials deny claims of torture and reports that men accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller withdrew confessions Jamie Doward Sat 11 Oct 2014 07.15 EDT Last modified on Sat 2 Dec . 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. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. 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. Death Island on Apple Podcasts 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. On tiny Koh Tao alone, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. Home; Service. Hannah metDavid 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. [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". The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. 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". Only if they are not beautiful." Her autopsy report showed she had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Zaw Lin, as pimply as any teen, chats eagerly of his love of Manchester United and star Portuguese winger Nani. She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, one of the U.K.s Channel Islands, had likewise suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf.
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