British Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Raping Swedish Woman

[sriracha john]

ENGLISHMAN, SUSPECTED OF RAPING SWEDISH WOMAN, ARRESTED IN PATTAYA

Pattaya police, armed with an arrest warrant from Samui Court, arrested an English citizen suspected of raping a Swedish woman in Pa-gnan Island, Suratthani Province. The man has an extensive criminal record in the UK, as well as, a criminal record, in Pattaya

On 3 July 2007, at 1 PM, Pol.Col.Suthin Sabphueng, Superintendent, Pattaya, Chonburi, with the cooperation of the National Police, Foreign Affairs Unit, followed up on the case of an Englishman, Mr. Benjamin Gardner (28) who escaped from prosecution for raping a Swedish woman in a deserted house on Moo 6, Pa-gnan Island, Suratthani Province, and who was now residing in Pattaya.

Pol.Col.Suthin instructed Pol.Maj. Chaigrit Thong-In, Investigator and a team of police officers to locate Mr.Gardner. Police discovered that Mr. Gardner was residing at room 403, P.R. Guesthouse, Soi Buakhao, Moo 9, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi and obtained the arrest warrant No. 25/2550, dated 5 February 2007, from Samui Court and arrested Mr.Gardner while he was sleeping in his room.

Mr. Gardner denied the charges. He claimed that he came to Thailand seven months ago and had never been to Pa-gnan Island in his life. He said that he is only a computer salesman from England. He claimed that he does not have much money to travel around; so he tends to stay in Pattaya. He assured authorities that he had nothing to do with the rape case. He said that there might be somebody who looks like him or has the same name.

Pol.Col. Suthin said that Pattaya police had the cooperation of the National police, Foreign Affairs Unit; and that Mr. Benjamin Gardner is suspected of raping a Swedish woman in Pa-gnan Island, Suratthani Province and is now residing in Pattaya. Police located Mr.Gardner at P.R. Guesthouse in Soi Buakhao and arrested him. Police will make a record and transfer him to the Pa-gnan Island Police to process the case.

Pol.Col.Suthin also said that Mr. Gardner was unemployed and had no particular address. He, reportedly, often acted like a mafia to threaten people for money, usually from business people. In addition, he had committed many crimes back in the UK. He arrived, as a tourist, in Thailand, about seven months ago and stayed in Pattaya.

Mr.Gardner has a previous criminal record in Pattaya. On 5 May 2007, he agreed to give Miss Rachanee Wansu (33) five hundred baht for sexual services. After finishing the lovemaking, Miss Rachanee went to the bathroom and Mr. Gardner snatched her wallet, containing 1,500 baht, as well as, a fifteen gram necklace and ran away. Miss Rachanee followed him with only a towel wrapped around her body. Luckily a Good Samaritan helped to catch him. Mr. Gardner asked the British Embassy to bail him out and that case is still pending. Now, Mr. Gardner has been arrested again as per Arrest Warrant 25/2550, dated 5 February 2007, from Samui court, and charged with raping a Swedish woman in Pa-gnan Island, Suratthani Province.

- Pattaya Daily News

Edited July 5, 2007 by Totster
Title changed to reflect the correct nationality of the accused

[baabaabobo]

Same guy as this post for another crime http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=119501&hl=

[bkkmadness]

What is it with this guy? Monkey house or deportation, whatever, take him of the streets.

[kmart]

Just deport this piece of pond-life immediately.

[tijnebijn]

Rape is a very serious crime . He should get jailtime in Thailand , blacklisted , deportation to the UK and be prosecuted for his crimes in the UK. I would not mind when Thai imm would ask us all when applying for visas to show we have no criminal record.

[November Rain]

Yes, he sounds like a total low-life & the sooner he's out of Thailand or in jail, the better. Agree 100%. But is it only me who cannot see any reason in that report to think that he was the one that raped the woman? Is there evidence reported that I have missed? If he didn't do it, I think publishing photos of him & his passport is a bit "off". Just because he has committed other crimes does not necessarily make him guilty of that one.

[PhilHarries]

Rather a different take on the story by the Pattaya City News.

On Tuesday afternoon 28-year-old British national Benjamin Gardiner was visiting his friend in the Soi 9 police station lockup when he was recognized as the person wanted in connection with an alleged rape of a Swedish tourist which took place on the 5th of February this year on Koh Phan Ghan in the Gulf of Thailand. Local officers immediately took Gardiner into custody and then informed their counterparts in Surat Thani province. Gardiner was later extradited to face rape charges in the Surat Thani court system.

Sometimes I wonder if they write these news stories in their dreams.

Either way, another fine example of British scum. One thing that bothers me is that in the last thread about this piece of dirt it was reported that the British embassy had been informed. So can he be out on bail on one crime when, presumably, there are extradition proceedings in process.

[baabaabobo]

POLICE ARREST SAME MAN FOUR TIMES ???

Is it just me or are there two cases with the same lowlife?

"On Tuesday afternoon 28-year-old British national Benjamin Gardiner was visiting his friend in the Soi 9 police station lockup when he was recognized as the person wanted in connection with an alleged rape of a Swedish tourist which took place on the 5th of February this year ...Local officers immediately took Gardiner into custody and then informed their counterparts in Surat Thani province."

"At 9.30pm on Friday, a call was received by Police Lieutenant Colonel Sirichai from Pattaya Police Station from Khun Rachanee aged 33 who informed Police that a foreign man, who she had met on the Walking Street, had just stolen her gold bracelet and some money from a Hotel room.

Police arrived and arrested Mr. Benjamin Gardner, aged 27, from England. He was caught in a nearby public toilet where he was attempting to hide from police."

"Pattaya police, armed with an arrest warrant from Samui Court, arrested an English citizen...

On 3 July 2007, at 1 PM, Pol.Col.Suthin Sabphueng, Superintendent, Pattaya, Chonburi, with the cooperation of the National Police, Foreign Affairs Unit, followed up on the case of an Englishman, Mr. Benjamin Gardner (28) who escaped from prosecution for raping a Swedish woman in a deserted house on Moo 6, Pa-gnan Island, Suratthani Province, and who was now residing in Pattaya."

"The Pattaya Police were informed on 5th May that a foreigner had beaten up a Thai bar girl. The man fled but was captured in Soi Yamoto off Beach Road.At the scene the police found British national, Benjamin Gardner, aged 27, from Newport, being detained by residents and the victim Miss Ratchanee Wansoo, a staff member at the Tim Beer Bar. All were escorted to the police station together with the evidence that the man stole from the woman."

All quotes taken off Thai Visa threads

[sbk]

Same two crimes reported twice.

Sounds like he was charged in Surat for rape and escaped. Then to Pattaya where he ripped off some Thai girl and got charged for a second crime. Additionally, it appears this ***ahem, on second thought I'd better delete what I really think he is*** is wanted back in the UK as well!

[lazeeboy]

I would not mind when Thai imm would ask us all when applying for visas to show we have no criminal record.

What a ridiculous statement.

Why should thousands of people be stopped from entering Thailand because they have a criminal record?

What about people that have made a mistake and never reoffended?

Maybe you should engage your brain before typing such drivel in the future.

not guilty till proven guilty,not been convicted on the 1st or the 2nd charge **** being in court with you lot as the jury

[sriracha john]

Welsh tourist charged with rape by Thai police

A 27-year-old tourist from Wales has been arrested and charged with the rape of a Swedish woman on a Thai holiday island.

Benjamin Gardner, from Newport, Gwent, was apprehended yesterday by police in Pattaya, Eastern Thailand, after an Interpol arrest warrant was issued to Thailand’s National Police headquarters. He is alleged to have raped the woman at a deserted house on Ko Pha-Ngan Island in southern Thailand in February this year. The island is famous for its Full Moon Parties, which attract thousands of European backpackers every month.

After his arrest at the run-down P.R. Guesthouse in Pattaya, about 100 miles east of Bangkok, Gardner told police that he had lost his passport in February and claimed somebody else must have assumed his identity in Ko Pha-Ngan.

Gardner’s whereabouts eventually came to Interpol’s attention after he was arrested by Thai police in Pattaya in May and charged with criminal assault on a Thai woman.

He spent two weeks in Pattaya jail before posting £800 for bail last month.

Yesterday he was re-arrested, charged with rape and will be escorted by police to Ko Pha-Ngan today.

- Western Mail (UK)

[sriracha john]

Englishman Arrested for Alleged Rape

On Tuesday afternoon 28-year-old British national Benjamin Gardner was visiting his friend in the Soi 9 police station lockup when he was recognized as the person wanted in connection with an alleged rape of a Swedish tourist which took place on the 5th of February this year on Koh Phan Ghan in the Gulf of Thailand.

Local officers immediately took Gardner into custody and then informed their counterparts in Surat Thani province. Gardner was later extradited to face rape charges in the Surat Thani court system

- Pattaya City News

============================================================================

(Suspect's last name has been edited from PCN's spelling, which had it as Gardiner)

Edited July 4, 2007 by sriracha john

[mrbojangles]

So his he Welsh or English Not that it matters the pond life

[meemiathai]

Well, it is just petty crimes he has committed. A few years in jail I think.

The serious crimes that get you life sentences are the ones carrying a few thousand tablets through airports.

[pop_corn]

disgusting guy. ewwwwwwwwwww

[Scott]

This guy needs to be locked up right away and kept out of society. He sounds like a psychopath. I am relatively sure that what he's been caught for (accused of) is probably just the tip of the iceberg. A dangerous fellow to have on the loose.

[astral]

Why wasn't he deported after being convicted in Pattaya??

[Maejo Man]

Well, it is just petty crimes he has committed. A few years in jail I think.

The serious crimes that get you life sentences are the ones carrying a few thousand tablets through airports.

If your wife was raped would you call it a petty crime?

[November Rain]

Well, it is just petty crimes he has committed. A few years in jail I think.

The serious crimes that get you life sentences are the ones carrying a few thousand tablets through airports.

If your wife was raped would you call it a petty crime?

It's called "irony" or even "sarcasm", Maejo Man. I think meemiathai might have been making a comment on the irony of the differences in treatment of those caught with viagara or ecstasy as opposed to those accused of numerous crimes towards women who are still allowed to wander about & visit their buddies in "lockup". That's just my take on it, though

Edit - just reread meemiathai's post & saw the bit about life sentences. So, scratch the reference to viagara & put another drug of your choice in its place. AFAIK, you don't get life sentences for smuggling viagara. Do you?

Edited July 5, 2007 by November Rain

[sriracha john]

British man faces Thai rape charge

A British man has been arrested in Thailand and charged with rape, the Foreign Office confirmed.

Benjamin Gardner, 28, of Newport, south Wales, is accused of raping a Swedish woman on the Thai holiday island of Koh Pha-ngan.

Gardner was arrested and charged at a guesthouse in Pattaya, about 100 miles east of Bangkok, on Monday.

- Channel 4 News (UK)

[LPCustom69]

I would not mind when Thai imm would ask us all when applying for visas to show we have no criminal record.

What a ridiculous statement.

Why should thousands of people be stopped from entering Thailand because they have a criminal record?

What about people that have made a mistake and never reoffended?

Maybe you should engage your brain before typing such drivel in the future.

As far as I'm concerned if someone paid their fine and/or did their time, they should have a clean slate, and nothing to fear. I think what was meant (though not sure), was check to see if there are active arrest warrants elsewhere. I have a feeling that as databases grow, that will enter the picture down the road. It seems that a lot of criminals do get arrested here.

[FormasianPaul]

Well, it is just petty crimes he has committed. A few years in jail I think.

The serious crimes that get you life sentences are the ones carrying a few thousand tablets through airports.

Since when was Rape a petty crime? Or am I missing something here?

[Humphrey Bear]

Although the photos are not high quality, I think his passport was issued 22nd February 2007 by FCO. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) That means - or used to mean - that it was not issued in Bangkok or another non-commonwealth location.

My Singapore issued passport is FCO, my Saudi issued passport is Jedda (spelling from the Consulate there).

So if the warrant was issued on 5th February, what has happened?

Was he not in Thailand at that time (he says seven months, so maybe he was) - has he got a new passport from outside the Kingdom (how? why?).

I'm all for bringing back flogging and hanging, plus introducing things like castration.

Working in Saudi, I am aware of the level of punishment here - but it does not seem to deter the criminals. Just gives a sense of satisfaction to the victims. But that is necessary and does not happen in the UK any longer.

[A_Traveller]

Although the photos are not high quality, I think his passport was issued 22nd February 2007 by FCO. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) That means - or used to mean - that it was not issued in Bangkok or another non-commonwealth location.

My Singapore issued passport is FCO, my Saudi issued passport is Jedda (spelling from the Consulate there).

So if the warrant was issued on 5th February, what has happened?

Was he not in Thailand at that time (he says seven months, so maybe he was) - has he got a new passport from outside the Kingdom (how? why?).<snip>

Though I don't envy anyone the task this is rapidly becoming a merge thread area. The initial reports {re Pattaya theft} were that he had a 1 year passport issued in Bangkok. The process, apparently, does not include any UK CRO check, though the 1 year point puzzles me, if accurate.

Regards

/edit snip & typo//

Edited July 5, 2007 by A_Traveller

[TopDogger]

Although the photos are not high quality, I think his passport was issued 22nd February 2007 by FCO. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) That means - or used to mean - that it was not issued in Bangkok or another non-commonwealth location.

Mine says FCO and it was issued in BKK in '05.

[Payboy]

I'm all for bringing back flogging and hanging, plus introducing things like castration.

in this case "castration by hanging" would be more appropriate - just my humble opinion!

[jayjayjayjay]

What is it with this guy? Monkey house or deportation, whatever, take him of the streets.

Deportation is too nice for guys like this, can't they let him drift into the Indian Ocean on a bamboo raft, leaky one preferred, sharks in hot pursuit..........

[mellow1]

If he's a rapist he should be prosecuted.

Immigration should be able to check if he was in the country when the rape happened.

The victim can presumably identify him.

Was the prostitute arrested for breaking the law?

If he is wanted in his home country,he should be deported after facing charges here.

He should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

[sbk]

Although the photos are not high quality, I think his passport was issued 22nd February 2007 by FCO. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) That means - or used to mean - that it was not issued in Bangkok or another non-commonwealth location.

My Singapore issued passport is FCO, my Saudi issued passport is Jedda (spelling from the Consulate there).

So if the warrant was issued on 5th February, what has happened?

Was he not in Thailand at that time (he says seven months, so maybe he was) - has he got a new passport from outside the Kingdom (how? why?).<snip>

Though I don't envy anyone the task this is rapidly becoming a merge thread area. The initial reports {re Pattaya theft} were that he had a 1 year passport issued in Bangkok. The process, apparently, does not include any UK CRO check, though the 1 year point puzzles me, if accurate.

Regards

/edit snip & typo//

Interesting that he applied for a new passport after the crime on Koh Phangan. Perhaps his passport is on the island with the local police. Or, if he rented a bike and then fled to escape prosecution he would have left his passport behind.

I imagine that the police have pretty good evidence against this guy if they issued an Interpol warrant based on the rape.

[Kerryd]

After his arrest at the run-down P.R. Guesthouse in Pattaya, about 100 miles east of Bangkok, Gardner told police that he had lost his passport in February and claimed somebody else must have assumed his identity in Ko Pha-Ngan.

Lost his passport in February eh ?

He has been replacing his passport on a number of occasions to avoid detection by the UK authorities.

(from the 6 May 2007 article when he was arrested in Pattaya)

Gardner’s whereabouts eventually came to Interpol’s attention after he was arrested by Thai police in Pattaya in May and charged with criminal assault on a Thai woman.

He spent two weeks in Pattaya jail before posting £800 for bail last month.

Arrested in May and confessed to being wanted in the UK for various charges:

Mr. Gardner, who possessed a passport valid for only 1 year, confessed to officers that he is on the run from authorities in UK and is wanted on a number of charges including assault, robbery and failing to appear in Court.

Yet they let him out on £800 bail ? Knowing he was probably wanted in the UK for serious crimes, and after he admitted to "replacing his passport on numerous occasions to avoid detection" ?

Where did the bail money come from ? He claims he is an unemployed computer salesman, who couldn't have been in Koh Phanang in February because he didn't have any money to travel around. (Most embassy's won't front bail money for their citizens arrested in foreign countries, especially when those citizens are supposedly wanted criminals in ther homelands)

What kind of visa would a 28 year old, poor, unemployed computer salesman have had, in the passport issued by the embassy of the country where he is wanted for some serious crimes ?

I guess I'm in the wrong line of work. I should become an unemployed computer salesman. It seems they can afford to live in Pattaya without any money/income, and don't have to worry about visa runs and the like.

(edit to reword and add some quotes from previous articles)

Edited July 5, 2007 by Kerryd