Brit Backpackers Murder Trial

Taken from The Daily Telegraph..

Thailand cop accused of killing Britons blames "spy"

March 31, 2005

A Thai police sergeant accused of murdering two young British backpackers in 2004 pleaded his innocence and said, in remarks published today, that the killings were actually done by his informant.

"It wasn't me, it was my informant," Somchai Visetsing, 40, told the court, the Nation newspaper reported.

Somchai is standing trial for the September 10 shooting murders of Adam Lloyd, 25, and Vanessa Arscott, 23, near the Bridge on the River Kwai in western Kanchanburi province.

Thai police have said Somchai confessed to the shootings, but blamed Lloyd for starting a row.

Somchai testified yesterday that although he did not own a gun and had to borrow one from his colleagues, his drug investigations informant Ya, or Drug, had a .38 calibre revolver, the Nation reported.

"Nobody knows Ya, not even my boss," the Nation quoted Somchai as saying.

"He's one of my spies, and I cover for him. I don't know his phone number, address or real name. But I've used him on 10 investigations."

The court also heard Somchai's confession was coerced because he was in a room full of police generals who told him it was in the "national interest" that he confess, the Nation reported.

A television interview in which Somchai apologised to Arscott's family was also coerced, the report said.

Somchai told the trial he met Lloyd and Arscott at a restaurant, and then offered Arscott a lift home.

But before they went far, Lloyd got out of the car and began arguing with Arscott, then returned to punch Somchai in the face, kicking him repeatedly until Somchai passed out, the paper reported.

Somchai said that when he awoke, a police colleague and Ya were there. Somchai said they wanted revenge, but he told them not to hurt the Britons, lent his car to Ya, and went to bed.

Ya called Somchai the next morning to say he'd "done" the backpackers, and for Somchai to be careful because he might be blamed, Somchai told the court.

Somchai then fled to Burma but was handed to Thai border officials by the Karen National Liberation Army after a month on the run.

He fled rather than be arrested because he put half the 2,000 people in Kanchanaburi prison and did not want to join them, the Nation reported.

The trial continues.

AFP