david miller and hannah witheridge

Foreigners die surprisingly often here. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. 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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. 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. He hailed fromJersey, a Crown Dependency, and graduated from Victoria College in 2008. But many have concerns that the scene was contaminated immediately after the discovery of the bodies; myriad officials, journalists and even bewildered tourists were seen traipsing through the area while evidence was still being gathered. Wai Phyo says officers removed his clothes and left him naked in a freezing room for 20 minutes. 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. 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 have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. [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". Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. All rights reserved. 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. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic. 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. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Witheridge is a native of Great Yarmouth in the Southwest coast of England. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. 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. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. In general, tourists are almost comically unaware of this malevolent undercurrent. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. 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 BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [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 Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. 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. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". 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. Zaw Lin, as pimply as any teen, chats eagerly of his love of Manchester United and star Portuguese winger Nani. Scared is right. 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. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. Call Us Today! Mr Miller's family said they were "grateful" to the Thai king. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. Then, most stupidly, the two suspects suddenly "admitted" to the crime, after having been found with bruises. Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. Typically, they work seven days a week for a pittance, sleeping in bamboo shacks erected in jungle clearances. 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. mi.) Both men, in their early 30s, are presumed to be serving their sentence in some Thailand prison. 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. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Its something but its not enough, he says. [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. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. 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. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies. The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. 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. Many believe the true culprits are local, and these suspicions were fueled after a Scottish friend of Miller fled the island claiming to have had his life threatened by local thugs. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. 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 brutality of the incident shook the islands and its tourists and residents as the investigators began their probe under immense media and political pressure. 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. Hannah Witheridge, 23,front left, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, middle right, from Jersey, were brutally killed on the island of Koh Tao last September 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. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". The family of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has been hit by a fresh tragedy with the sudden death of her sister. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . The sweet reek of marijuana is commonplace even in prominent beachfront bars, while cocaine and crystal meth, known locally as yaba or crazy drug, are not hard to find, say locals. The investigators raided Mau Maus home on October 2 and arrested one of the men named Zaw Lin. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. Others labor for long hours under the burning sun farming pineapples, exposed to hazardous doses of pesticides and other chemicals. Expats dont want to lose their time in paradise, Earley says, as its cheap, its nice living, and its very easy to ignore what happens.. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. But the seemingly idyllic paradise of Koh Tao, once known as Turtle Island, has turned from beauty to horror as a string of brutal murders and unexplained disappearances have rocked the community The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. The island is known as a haven for scuba divers. According to reports, the police sought his friend, who shared a room with David, in the double homicide, and a nationwide manhunt was launched. They had only been in the country for days before they were murdered. Feuding here is common and vicious. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. During the trial, the prosecution also claimed Davids stolen phone was discovered smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lins. [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]. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. 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. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. [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". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. But Koh Tao was a political penal colony from 1933 until 1947, and a sense of self-sufficiency and isolation exists to this day. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. . 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. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. 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. 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. (Police deny these allegations.). [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? They partied together, with the couple last seen together at a local bar called AC Bar with friends on September 14. David worked as an intern in the St Helier offices of the Australian mining company Consolidated Minerals. He was brought in for questioning on October 1, and he stated he was not present when the murders took place. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. A process of registering irregular Burmese migrant workers has been introduced to tackle the semiofficial bribes, though many say abuses continue unabated. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. But generally they lose their lives through traffic accidents, overdoses and suicides. [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. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15. 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. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. How Did Steven Beirnes Die? So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. Read about our approach to external linking. [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. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15.

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