Briton Accused In 2007 Murder Extradited From Thailand

[sriracha john]

The victim:

Sharon Birchwood

Sharon Birchwood murder accused arrives in Britain after extradition from Thailand

A man charged with murdering Ashtead housewife Sharon Birchwood has arrived in the UK, police said.

Surrey Police extradited Paul Cryne, a 58-year-old former lifeguard, from Thailand. He landed in Heathrow early this morning and is expected to appear before Guildford Magistrates' Court later today.

He was named in Croydon Crown Court as an associate of Graham Birchwood, Mrs Birchwood’s ex-husband, who was jailed for 32 years for her murder in June.

Mrs Birchwood, a myalgic encephalopathy (ME) sufferer was found by paramedics in her bedroom, fully clothed at 1pm, on Friday, December 7, 2007.

She had been trussed up, bound and gagged with parcel tape and electrical wire. Her ankles had been tied and there was tape around her neck and head.

The electrical cord had been repeatedly wound around her head and a small metal handle had been used, it appears, to act as a tourniquet. The ligature around her neck and the gagging of her mouth had caused asphyxia.

Formerly from Manchester and now living permanently in Thailand, Mr Cryne, it is claimed, has a British Chief Constable’s commendation and 157 citations for lifesaving, and has also appeared in the Guinness Book of Records for completing a 24-hour underwater swim and swimming underwater from Scotland to Ireland.

- Local Guardian (UK) / 2009-08-06

Edited August 6, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Additional background information on the accused from last year:

Suspect: Paul Cryne is wanted in connection with the murder of Sharon Birchwood in Ashtead

Police try to extradite Thailand murder suspect

Police are trying to extradite a 58-year-old former life-guard from Thailand in connection with the murder of housewife Sharon Birchwood.

Paul Cryne is currently sitting in a Thai jail waiting to hear if he will be re-tried on charges of murdering another Brit in Thailand in 2003.

Cryne, a former lifeguard, swimming coach, nurse and businessman will face an extradition hearing to face charges for the murder of Mrs Birchwood. Thai authorities are currently trying to appeal against his acquittal for the murder of Welsh skydiving instructor Robert Henry.

Last week Mrs Birchwood’s former husband, Graham Birchwood, 54, a business consultant from Banstead, Surrey appeared in Guildford Magistrates’ Court after being charged with conspiracy to murder by Surrey Police.

Sharon Birchwood, 52, was found dead in her house in Harriott’s Lane, Ashtead, Surrey on December 4, 2007, by the defendant, who called the police. She had been bound and strangled with a length of cord.

Cryne was charged in 2005 with the murder of Mr Henry, a businesman, bar owner and boxing-promoter from Coventry whose bullet ridden body was found in a canal outside Pattaya in October 2003. The 42-year-old had been shot six times in the back of the head.

Henry ran a company called Siam Air Sport and a bar called the Sky Dive Bar but Siam Air Sport ceased trading after their only plane crashed on take off injuring seven passengers, four of them Britons.

Robert Henry’s girlfriend Wilai Chiewcharn alleged that Cryne killed Henry because he was jealous of him. It was claimed that Henry’s blood was found in Cryne’s car which has been sent to a garage to be re-upholstered after the murder.

Mr Cryne was acquitted after several prosecution witnesses failed to appear to give testimony at his two week trial. Neither Wilai nor a forensic expert turned up to testify. On the last day even the prosecutor himself failed to appear.

Cryne has always strenuously denied the charge, claiming he was a patsy, set up by the real killers.

Cryne, who is formerly from Manchester and now living permanently in Thailand, it is claimed, has a British chief constable’s commendation and 157 citations for lifesaving and has also appeared in the Guinness Book of Records for completing a 24-hour underwater swim and swimming underwater from Scotland to Ireland.

After being injured in a diving accident he retired to Thailand with a disability award.

He had to resort to begging from friends and doing odd jobs as he was unable to return to UK to draw a disablement pension.

Mr Cryne has worked in the Middle East and Australia during the course of his varied career.

- This Is Local London / 2008-10-05

[sriracha john]

Lifeguard appears in court charged with murder of Ashstead housewife Sharon Birchwood

A man appeared in court this afternoon charged with the murder of an Ashtead housewife.

Paul Cryne, a 58-year-old former lifeguard living in Thailand, appeared in Guildford Magistrates' Court accused of murdering Sharon Birchwood.

Surrey Police extradited Mr Cryne, who landed in Heathrow early this morning.

He was named in Croydon Crown Court as an associate of Graham Birchwood, Mrs Birchwood’s ex-husband, who was jailed for 32 years for her murder in June.

- Your Local Guardian / 2009-08-06

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

Additional background information on the victim's ex-husband's dated June 9, 2009 :

Graham Birchwood

Graham Birchwood jailed for 32 years for ex-wife Sharon's murder

A struggling businessman who killed his disabled ex-wife so he could inherit the former family home has been jailed for life.

Graham Birchwood, known locally as George, was jailed for 32 years for killing ex-wife 52-year-old Sharon who was found strangled in her bedroom in Harriots Lane, Ashtead, in December 2007.

Continued here:

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/lo..._gets_32_years/

[barrybankruad]

The victim:

Sharon Birchwood

Sharon Birchwood murder accused arrives in Britain after extradition from Thailand

A man charged with murdering Ashtead housewife Sharon Birchwood has arrived in the UK, police said.

Surrey Police extradited Paul Cryne, a 58-year-old former lifeguard, from Thailand. He landed in Heathrow early this morning and is expected to appear before Guildford Magistrates' Court later today.

He was named in Croydon Crown Court as an associate of Graham Birchwood, Mrs Birchwood’s ex-husband, who was jailed for 32 years for her murder in June.

Mrs Birchwood, a myalgic encephalopathy (ME) sufferer was found by paramedics in her bedroom, fully clothed at 1pm, on Friday, December 7, 2007.

She had been trussed up, bound and gagged with parcel tape and electrical wire. Her ankles had been tied and there was tape around her neck and head.

The electrical cord had been repeatedly wound around her head and a small metal handle had been used, it appears, to act as a tourniquet. The ligature around her neck and the gagging of her mouth had caused asphyxia.

Formerly from Manchester and now living permanently in Thailand, Mr Cryne, it is claimed, has a British Chief Constable’s commendation and 157 citations for lifesaving, and has also appeared in the Guinness Book of Records for completing a 24-hour underwater swim and swimming underwater from Scotland to Ireland.

- Local Guardian (UK) / 2009-08-06

[barrybankruad]

Makes you wonder just how many fugitives from justice are skulking here in Thailand. I knw of at least two farangs living locally who have let it be known that they dare not return to their countries because they know that they would be arrested as soon as they arrived at the airport.

[sriracha john]

Murder suspect is returned to UK

A 61-year-old man has been brought back to the UK from Thailand to face a murder charge.

Paul Cryne returned to Britain with Surrey Police officers after they sought his extradition over the killing of 52-year-old Sharon Birchwood.

Mrs Birchwood died at her home in Ashstead, Surrey, in December 2007.

Mr Cryne appeared at Guildford Magistrates Court where he was remanded in custody. He is due to appear at the Old Bailey on September 3.

-- BBC 2009-08-06

[dale8]

Hello, it is a sad story for the victim. My prayers are with the victim and her family, and justice is only a small concession as people will lose their freedom for this terrible action too. I do not understand how murder is a good choice, and giving up freedom could never be a good thing. The manner of murder was intentional and took time to plan so it was not a crime of passion, and I hope the people involved with this murder will stay out of our society for the rest of their life.

[Maizefarmer]

Makes you wonder just how many fugitives from justice are skulking here in Thailand. I knw of at least two farangs living locally who have let it be known that they dare not return to their countries because they know that they would be arrested as soon as they arrived at the airport.

.... I would think quite a few.

[sriracha john]

Man back in UK to face murder trial

A FORMER Teignmouth lifeguard was brought back to the UK yesterday to face a murder charge.

Police from Surrey returned from Thailand with 61-year-old Paul Cryne who lived in Bitton Avenue for many years before emigrating.

Officers had sought his extradition following the murder of Sharon Birchwood.

Ms Birchwood, 52, was murdered at her home in Ashtead, Surrey, in December 2007.

Cryne appeared at Guildford Magistrates' Court where he was remanded in custody.

He will next appear at the Old Bailey on September 3.

Cryne holds the world record, set in 1984, for completing a 24-hour underwater swim. He became the first person to complete the swim of almost 50 miles non-stop in Qatar in the Arabian Gulf.

After being injured in a diving accident, he retired to Thailand with a disability award. He had previously worked as a swimming coach and lifeguard and lived in Teignmouth for about eight years.

- Herald Express / 2009-08-07

[pattaya_girl]

Hello, it is a sad story for the victim. My prayers are with the victim and her family, and justice is only a small concession as people will lose their freedom for this terrible action too. I do not understand how murder is a good choice, and giving up freedom could never be a good thing. The manner of murder was intentional and took time to plan so it was not a crime of passion, and I hope the people involved with this murder will stay out of our society for the rest of their life.

I agree with the above, what a sad sad story, and I feel so sorry for that Lady.

[sriracha john]

Going further back into the accused's background is a separate murder case from 2005 involving a 2003 murder... this one in Thailand...

Paul Cryne not guilty of murder

Prosecutor may appeal verdict

Pattaya city court has acquitted 57 year old Brit Paul Cryne of murdering Coventry man Robert Henry, aged 42, two years ago.

A judge on September 23 summed up that it would be an unsafe conviction as neither DNA evidence nor two autopsy reports, one in Thailand and one in UK, bore out initial claims that Cryne had shot Henry in his car in Jomtien.

The body was found near a canal in Sattahip in October 2003, "riddled with bullets" according to an initial account.

Cryne has always strenuously denied the charge, claiming he was a patsy set up by the real killers.

Henry had brought millions of pounds to Thailand and opened a time-share company called Stag, bought substantial property here and opened two safe deposit boxes in Siam Commercial Bank. After the murder, Henry's common law wife Khun Wilai Chiewcharn accused Manchester born Cryne of complicity in the murder.

She also claimed to have had an affair with Cryne who was arrested and later bailed.

He had to resort to begging from friends and doing odd jobs as he was unable to return to UK to draw a disablement pension.

Under Thai law, the public prosecutor has 30 days in which to appeal the not guilty verdict at Rayong appeal court and it is not yet known if he will do that, or let the matter drop.

In the meantime, Cryne has to reapply for bail, a process which can take several days, and he found himself rearrested for the interim period. Cryne is a qualified Olympic swimming coach and a member of the professional associates of lifeguards. He is mentioned in the Guinness book of records for underwater feats. The British embassy was said to be closely monitoring the developments.

- Pattaya Today / 2005-09-29

Edited August 7, 2009 by sriracha john

[Buchholz]

Link to Photo

Hitman Paul Cryne has failed to overturn his conviction for murdering Sharon Birchwood in Ashtead in 2007

Hitman fails in appeal over Birchwood murder

A hitman who was jailed for life after flying from Thailand to the UK to murder a disabled woman in her Ashtead home has lost a Court of Appeal bid to clear his name. ME sufferer Sharon Birchwood, 52, was found dead with her head, wrists and ankles trussed up with packing tape at her Harriotts Lane bungalow home in December 2007.

In August 2010, British ex-pat Paul Cryne was convicted of the contract killing and jailed for life, with a minimum term of 28-and-a-half years, at the Old Bailey. But the 63-year-old continues to protest his innocence and on Friday (November 11) took his case to the Appeal Court in London, where senior judges threw out his challenge to the conviction.

Prosecutors at the original trial said Cryne had been hired to carry out the killing by Mrs Birchwood's husband, Graham. This was achieved with "ruthless efficiency" by Cryne as he took Mrs Birchwood by surprise and incapacitated her almost immediately, jurors were told. After being extradited from Thailand he praised the work of the murderer, saying: "Whoever did it did a good job. I take my hat off to them." Cryne will have to serve at least 28-and-a-half years behind bars before he can even be considered for release from prison.

Continues:

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2103274_hitman_fails_in_appeal_over_birchwood_murder

Get Surrey - November 11, 2011

[Buchholz]

Hitman jailed for Sharon Birchwood murder loses appeal

A hitman jailed for life for murdering a housewife in her Surrey home on behalf of her ex-husband has lost a Court of Appeal bid to clear his name. Sharon Birchwood, 52, of Ashtead, was found strangled and trussed up with parcel tape in Ashtead in 2007. Expatriate Paul Cryne, 63, who flew to the UK from Thailand to carry out the killing for a £30,000 fee, was convicted in August 2010.

His appeal was dismissed by three judges who ruled the verdict was safe. He was told when he was sentenced that he would serve a minimum of 28 years and six months in jail before he could be considered for parole.

Cryne, who had denied murder, was extradited from Thailand to face trial at the Old Bailey.

More on This Story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-15701532

-- BBC 2011-11-11