Thai Prostitutes Murderers Charged

Witness tells of cupboard raid

August 5, 2004

Two young men charged with the murder of two Thai prostitutes in Darwin were found by Queensland police hiding in a bedroom cupboard, Darwin Magistrates Court heard yesterday.

A young man they were staying with in Brisbane told the court by video link of a late-night raid on his parents' home on March 10.

The two had been driven to the house earlier that day and had said only they had come from the Territory to Brisbane looking for work.

Benjamin Hamilton, 19, said he was forced to the floor by a police officer as the officer demanded:

``Where are they?''

``I said `I don't know' because they had been sleeping in my room but I could not see them,'' Mr Hamilton said.

``Then police opened the cupboard where I have my clothes, grabbed the two boys and handcuffed them.''

Mr Hamilton was referring to Phu Ngoc Trinh and Ben William McLean, both 18, who are charged with the murders of Somjai Insamnan, 27, and Phuangsri Kroksamrang, 58, at Corroboree between March 1 and 2 this year.

Queensland police are due to give evidence when the committal hearing for the two resumes today before Chief Magistrate Hugh Bradley.

Crime scene examiner Senior Constable Amanda Ruzsicska said that on March 4 she took photos of the bodies of the two women found that morning floating in the Adelaide River.

She said each was tied hand and foot with cable ties.

Car batteries were tied with rope to the hand ties.

Ms Insamnan had thick, sticky tape around her mouth. Sen-Constable Ruzsicska said that at the farm where the two men had been living she collected condoms, medication prescribed to Ms Kroksamrang and in a fire a burnt wig, hair comb and two bras.