Court upholds life sentence for Britons' killer

KANCHANABURI: -- The provincial prosecution has decided not to appeal a lower court ruling that commuted the death sentence given to a police officer charged with murdering two British tourists to life imprisonment.

Sirisak Tiyaphan, spokesman to the Office of the Attorney-General, said the Kanchanaburi prosecutors recently resolved not to appeal against Pol Snr Sgt-Maj Somchai Visetsing's sentence of life imprisonment.

However, the parents of the victims had the right to appeal against the ruling in their capacity as co-plaintiffs in the case, said the spokesman, adding he had sought explanations from the provincial prosecution about its decision.

The families of the victims had reportedly expressed disappointment with the court's ruling. They wanted him to be given the death penalty.

The officer was initially given the death sentence by the provincial court. It was commuted to life because he confessed during the investigation and provided useful information to authorities.

He was convicted of killing Vanessa Arscott, 24, and her boyfriend Adam Lloyd, 25, on Sept 9 last year at The Resort restaurant in Muang district.

After the murders, Pol Snr Sgt-Maj Somchai fled to Burma. He returned to fight the case on Oct 7, surrendering at the Three Pagodas pass in Sangkhla Buri district.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-12

Hmmm................me-thinks he's gonna be let out of a side gate on an appeal, in 2 or 3 yrs time when it all quieten's down. Personally, if he had shot my daughter, he wouldn't have made it to court in the first place. As what 'HAD' gone around, 'WOULD' have come back around, as they say.

Edited July 12, 200520 yr by Mr Helper

He won't get out yet

This is done and dusted now, Time to put it to bed?

Hmmm................me-thinks he's gonna be let out of a side gate on an appeal, in 2 or 3 yrs time when it all quieten's down. Personally, if he had shot my daughter, he wouldn't have made it to court in the first place. As what 'HAD' gone around, 'WOULD' have come back around, as they say. 

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I agree, otherwise why not give him the death sentence? I don't think they are interested in making him suffer while behind bars.