The families that run the island and police that guard it deny any involvement with narcotics. According to reports, David and Hannah arrived separately on the island with their friends on August 25, 2014. Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridges injuries were to her head. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Over the coming weeks we hope to gain a better understanding as to how such a wonderful young man lost his life in such idyllic surroundings in such a horrible way, said Millers family in a statement at the opening of the trial. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". A mute Burmese beach cleaner discovered the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning at Ocean View Bungalows. Witheridge, 23, from Hemsby, near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, was raped and beaten to death. Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. She was just a brilliant person, and she was just irreplaceable. [4][11][14] Their bodies were discovered on Sairee Beach a few hours later, between 4 and 5am, by a mute Burmese beach cleaner. [1] Police revealed that the samples from Witheridge's body were used up,[62][27] but were able to provide DNA samples from the murder weapon. 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. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. That the victims were tourists automatically drew more attention, says Thai political analyst Saksith Saiyasombut. There was so much he could be doing with his life, and having it cut short is unbelievably cruel. However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo are two of an estimated 2 million irregular Burmese migrants, along with smaller numbers from neighboring Cambodia and Laos, currently working low-paid jobs in comparatively thriving Thailand. During the trial, the prosecution also claimed Davids stolen phone was discovered smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lins. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. [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. How Did Steven Beirnes Die? [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". Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. [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. 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. 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. [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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. Yet it remains an open secret that organized crime is rampant on these islands, says Saksith. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. The largest and most developed is Koh Samui, which also boasts the archipelagos only international airport. [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". They toil in slavelike conditions for pitiful wages in occupations typically described as 3-D dirty, dangerous, degrading. She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. But in December, in a statement released by the Foreign Office, they said they were confident in the Thai polices work. [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". Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. 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. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. This is the wild west.. 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 senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The officers also charged Wai with stealing Davids mobile phone. Magazines, Digital [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. 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. 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. 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. 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. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. As the investigation . The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Wai was also convicted of theft and pled guilty to entering the country illegally, while Zaw was not charged since he held a work permitfor the two years preceding the murders. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. According to reports, they allegedly confessed to the murders, stating the migrant workers wanted to rape Hannah after getting aroused while reportedly seeing her kissing David on the beach. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. Court documents claimed David was killed while attempting to stop the defendants from murdering his friend. [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. The pairs trial began on July 8, 2015, with the prosecution highlighting the DNA evidence and police findings as their primary strategy. More recently, a court order to allow Dr. Pornthip to review the DNA evidence was rescinded. Zaw Lin, as pimply as any teen, chats eagerly of his love of Manchester United and star Portuguese winger Nani. Legally, it would seem quite easy to shut these dive shops down., Insecure residency tends to breed compliance. [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. The family of Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, have had their "hearts broken" by a second death. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. 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. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. 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. Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. [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. Some work on fishing boats for years without seeing land, getting passed between trawlers, catching fish, squid and shrimp for American dinner tables. 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. Write to Charlie Campbell at [email protected]. The next in size is Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon parties, with a reputation for drugs and debauchery. I think my lasting memory of him will be his smile, wonderful sense of humor, and ability to put his ideas across with conviction and thoughtfulness. David, then 24, had recently graduated in civil and structural engineering from the University of Leeds and planned onstarting a masters degree. The balcony of room A5 at Ocean View Bungalows commands one of the finest vistas of Koh Taos sweeping Sairee Beach. V z 2014 23let absolventka University of East Anglia, kter studovala magistersk titul v oboru logopedie. The children always loved her. [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. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. A process of registering irregular Burmese migrant workers has been introduced to tackle the semiofficial bribes, though many say abuses continue unabated. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. 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. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. Once youve been living there for a while, youll turn a blind eye to some pretty sketchy stuff, says Mike Earley, 30, from New Zealand, who spent six months on the island working as a DJ. Its something but its not enough, he says. The 18-day trial of the two defendants, divided into three equal parts over several weeks, began on July 8. 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.