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'THEY SHOULDN'T DIE' 

Murdered British backpacker’s parents ‘GRATEFUL’ killers’ death sentences reduced to life in jail

Dan Keane

 

The bodies of David, right, and Hannah, left, were discovered on a beach on the tourist island of Koh Tao in September 2014. Credit: EPA

 

THE parents of a British backpacker murdered in Thailand have said they are "grateful" after their son's killers had their death sentence reduced to life in jail by a royal pardon.

 

Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were sentenced to death in 2015 after being found guilty of murdering David Miller, 25, and murdering and raping 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge.

 

The bodies of David and Hannah were discovered on a beach on the southern tourist island of Koh Tao in September 2014.

 

David's parents Ian and Sue Miller have now said they are "grateful" to Thai King Vajiralongkorn for commuting the sentences.

 

They said in a statement: "We are grateful to His Majesty the King of Thailand for showing his clemency to the murderers of our son David.

 

"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."

 

The killers, both hailing from Burma, had previously denied the crimes.

 

Full story: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12417958/murdered-british-backpackers-parents-grateful-killers-sentences-reduced/

 

-- The SUN 2020=08-17

[RichardColeman]

Be honest, a death sentence may be more kind than life in a thai prison

[Reigntax]

I wonder if a 'negotiated' admit your guilt to save the face of the RTP and your sentence will be reduced situation. Given the choice of death or admission to committing a crime you didnt the choice is easy.

This case has as many inconsistencies as......well every high profile Thai case that stinks of corruption and incompetence from every angle.

[IslandLover]

35 minutes ago, Reigntax said:

I wonder if a 'negotiated' admit your guilt to save the face of the RTP and your sentence will be reduced situation. Given the choice of death or admission to committing a crime you didnt the choice is easy.

This case has as many inconsistencies as......well every high profile Thai case that stinks of corruption and incompetence from every angle.

As far as I understand the Thai justice system, a person has to admit guilt before the King's clemency can be granted.  Make of that what you will.

[Somtamnication]

Surreal. If anyone killed a family member of mine, death to them!

[mogandave]

Guess the girl’s parents weren’t available for comment...

[yellowboat]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible."

They either admit guilt for clemency or face the possibility of execution.   Their guilt was difficult to believe to begin with, and their "confession" is even less believable, given their choice.   Still, happy to see they are no longer facing execution.   

[brucegoniners]

They should be set free. It's pretty obvious these kids were railroaded so they could say they caught the killers.

[Dr Rodrigues Pereira]

I just feel sad ... What else can one feel, after this type of "business agreement".  Death penalty is out of the question, but having to bargain it and "reducing" it to live imprisonment , that's a lot ...

 

[izod10]

idiots

[wendyfromoz]

I would take the death sentence.  Life in a Thai prison is far harsher penalty.

[malt25]

"The bodies of David, right, and Hannah, left, "  Thanks for that. Would never have known otherwise.

[Crash999]

Had the maximum sentence been life in prison during the trial then the result of the UK police investigation could have been released to the court instead of only the parents.

[Dinobot]

That “investigation” and subsequent conviction of the Burmese migrant workers was a show made for daytime TV. Sad for all involved, except the actual killer who got off scot free. 
 

[fittobethaied]

So, it sounds like they coerced out of the two an admission of guilt in exchange for their lives and to absolve the authorities of all wrongdoing in the case. Case closed...move on to the next boondoggle by the Boys in Brown. We all know it was a set-up!

[ezzra]

I once rad, long time ago that executions by machine gun in thailand has been suspended owing to shortage of suitable ammunition for said old gun, for all we know they might have similar issues and commuting sentences because of that...

[SiSePuede419]

Well, the victims were delusional that Koh Tao was a "safe" place to get wasted on a "pub crawl".  It's not London.  Should have spent 60seconds on Google, kids.

 

If the parents believe these immigrants weren't "framed", then it sounds like the???? didn't fall too far from the ????

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, brucegoniners said:

They should be set free. It's pretty obvious these kids were railroaded so they could say they caught the killers.

Easy to admit to anything when someone's standing on your gonads.

[bristolgeoff]

I don,t know the media said the the boys were scrape goats because of where they from.did not matter in the end.maybe we will never know the truth

[ugghuggh]

So now the myanmar government can finally ask for them to be transfered back to Myanmar to serve the sentence... ... ..

[5633572526]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

Surreal. If anyone killed a family member of mine, death to them!

Normally I would agree with you but it is just as likely that these two are scapegoats as it is that they are guilty.

death island definitely not a place I will ever visit.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Somtamnication said:

Surreal. If anyone killed a family member of mine, death to them!

Me too, but nobody really believes these two are the killers.

[Bender Rodriguez]

we can see how men in brown work red bull case, says enough about "justice"

 

poor get jail and rich are beyond the law

 

your own lawyers can just sell you out and maybe ...

[herwin1234]

28 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Me too, but nobody really believes these two are the killers.

Except the parents of the murdered victims who have seen more evidence than you.

 

"Miller’s family also expressed confidence in the Thai judicial process, saying the evidence against the defendants seemed “powerful and convincing”."

 

It seems everybody is deeply convinced it all was a big set up, two poor immigrants wrongly setup by corrupt Thai police (of course, whats new...) and wrongly convicted.

 

I didnt see the evidence nor did i follow  the case, but the parents believe these are the murderers, they seen evidence and also spoken with investigators from the uk.

 

So, why exactly whats the evidence that these two young men are innocent?

[crazykopite]

I believe deep down in there hearts that the parents of the the young lady murdered know that these two lads were made scapegoats and the real killer is still out there eying up the next victim . I am glad that the two lads won’t be put to death and maybe one day they will prove there innocence. my thoughts and prayers for the deceased and her parents.

[whitfield]

They'll be quietly moved back to Burma to complete their sentence in the not too distant future.

[bodga]

Thai media  propaganda at its  best

[KKr]

1 hour ago, Crash999 said:

Had the maximum sentence been life in prison during the trial then the result of the UK police investigation could have been released to the court instead of only the parents.

So, if that is crucial evidence, the interested persons surely can have the case re-opened since there is new evidence to be presented to the Court.

[bodga]

17 minutes ago, herwin1234 said:

Except the parents of the murdered victims who have seen more evidence than you.

 

"Miller’s family also expressed confidence in the Thai judicial process, saying the evidence against the defendants seemed “powerful and convincing”."

 

It seems everybody is deeply convinced it all was a big set up, two poor immigrants wrongly setup by corrupt Thai police (of course, whats new...) and wrongly convicted.

 

I didnt see the evidence nor did i follow  the case, but the parents believe these are the murderers, they seen evidence and also spoken with investigators from the uk.

 

So, why exactly whats the evidence that these two young men are innocent?

I once had the Thai  police  tell me they could see  who was stealing water by satellite in the  village, I would  not believe anything a  Thai Policeman tells  you, they were quite serious about it too.

[fxe1200]

59 minutes ago, bristolgeoff said:

I don,t know the media said the the boys were scrape goats because of where they from.did not matter in the end.maybe we will never know the truth

WE? YOU!