Sydney Woman Appeals Jail Term: Phuket

[webfact]

Sydney woman appeals Thai jail term

PHUKET: -- A 21-year-old Sydney woman sentenced to 15 days jail in Phuket for falsely claiming she was assaulted by a taxi driver is appealing the verdict and has been granted bail.

Stevie Rochelle Bamford was initially found guilty by a Phuket provincial court on June 15 of making false claims after telling Thai police a local taxi driver, with two other men restraining her, carried out the assault in the early hours of Sunday June 10.

However, CCTV footage later revealed she had returned to her hotel safely after becoming separated from her Australian boyfriend.

Phuket police interviewed Bamford for two days before she confessed to fabricating the story. She was held in local police cells before the court hearing.

Bamford was sentenced to serve the 15-day prison term at a low security detention centre on the outskirts of Phuket rather than in an adult women's jail.

She is the daughter of former Australian league player Peter Tunks, who has appealed to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra to assist his daughter.

Tunks told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph the whole family was "extremely concerned" about his daughter's welfare and wanted her back in Australia.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.a...0625-20wzv.html

-- The Sydney Morning Herald 2012-06-25

[submaniac]

Love it. Daughter of famous/wealthy whines about 2 weeks in jail and appeals...in other places, people would be absolutely BEGGING for a 15 day sentence.

[edwinclapham]

I feel a "book" coming on!

[JUDAS]

According to the last paragraph in the report the appeal has little to do with justice: "However, following the recent murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith in Phuket, Thailand may also be looking to repair its battered tourist image, leading to an acquittal."

I actually thought a 15 day sentence for false allegations of rape was rather lenient. I did wonder at the time how far the "victim" would have taken it, if the police had arrested someone, would she actually have gone as far as saying "yes, it was him"

[edwinclapham]

According to the last paragraph in the report the appeal has little to do with justice: "However, following the recent murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith in Phuket, Thailand may also be looking to repair its battered tourist image, leading to an acquittal."

I actually thought a 15 day sentence for false allegations of rape was rather lenient. I did wonder at the time how far the "victim" would have taken it, if the police had arrested someone, would she actually have gone as far as saying "yes, it was him"

...and hopefully every man in Australia she happens to be in close proximity with will be saying the same thing!

[simple1]

Seems to me that both the parent and daughter don't get the concept of taking responsibility for your actions. You can bet your last dollar that if a foreign national did the same thing in Australia there would be an outcry at such a light punishment.

Edited June 25, 2012 by simple1

[TheWalkingMan]

She doesn't want to do 15 days? Make her hold a multi-language sign in the middle Patong saying, "I falsely accused a taxi driver of rape and got caught." Have her do it for a few nights.

[bristolgeoff]

she should get alot more,but maybe a large tea money offer was hard to refuse

[NamKangMan]

"Reports in Australia on Sunday said that in the meantime, she was holidaying at the resort area of Krabi in Southern Thailand." - That shows remorse for her actions. :)

[jpp2bkk]

Although her action is stupid, she can be jailed for lying! Tuk tuk drivers who assaults, beats tourists sometimes nearly death are not. This is justice in LOS!!

[edwinclapham]

Although her action is stupid, she can be jailed for lying! Tuk tuk drivers who assaults, beats tourists sometimes nearly death are not. This is justice in LOS!!

I strongly disagree, it is NOT an eye for an eye.....

Reverse the situation in your home town and this happens, a finger is pointed at you, is that justice??

Ridiculous thing to say!

[sportsman69]

She doesn't want to do 15 days? Make her hold a multi-language sign in the middle Patong saying, "I falsely accused a taxi driver of rape and got caught." Have her do it for a few nights.

A very apt sentence but I don't think she'd be there for long, a few good kicks between the legs and she'd be begging to do the time in the " big house ". That is if she didn't stab herself in the back, If you get my drift.

A despicable example of humanity and a poor excuse for the word 'woman'................

[............] " Tunks told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph the whole family was "extremely concerned"......."

and rightfully so after breeding up scum like that. Like father, like son daughter, comes to mind.!

[renaissanc]

According to the last paragraph in the report the appeal has little to do with justice: "However, following the recent murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith in Phuket, Thailand may also be looking to repair its battered tourist image, leading to an acquittal."

I actually thought a 15 day sentence for false allegations of rape was rather lenient. I did wonder at the time how far the "victim" would have taken it, if the police had arrested someone, would she actually have gone as far as saying "yes, it was him"

That's a very good question. The "rapist" might have gone to prison for 10-15 years. 15 days is extremely lenient.

[JoeLing]

Tunks told Sydney's Sunday Telegraph the whole family was "extremely concerned" about his daughter's welfare and wanted her back in Australia.

Should't they be more "extremely concerned" about what impact their daughters accusation did on the welfare of her victims? Or what impact it has on foreigners living/visiting Thailand. (Ahhh, farang, cheating, laying, scamming criminals?)

[ronthai]

Do the time girl and never come back

[hansnl]

Although her action is stupid, she can be jailed for lying! Tuk tuk drivers who assaults, beats tourists sometimes nearly death are not. This is justice in LOS!!

But maybe she is farang?

[markt7081]

The penalty for a false allegation of rape, should be the same sentance as a genuine rapist would have got. (any country)

Pretty simple logic.

[Maejo Man]

Two weeks in a minimum security detention center on Phuket is not the end of the world. She made a very serious accusation, that could have had disasterous consequences fo the accused. She is lucky she did not get a lengthy sentence!!

[MikeThaison]

so who is actually the plaintiff in this case? since in most criminal cases a settlement can be reached outside of court, who would the plaintiff be? All taxi drivers? the state? police station? so is settling this outside of court an option?

another thing appealing 15 day sentence 10 days later? she would be 2/3 through already if she just shut up did the time and got deported. Is this all so she doesn't get deported and blacklisted from Thailand?

[wprime]

15 days is fine, if she finds herself genuinely raped, maybe the police won't be so helpful next time.

[Garry]

Love it. Daughter of famous/wealthy whines about 2 weeks in jail and appeals...in other places, people would be absolutely BEGGING for a 15 day sentence.

I gather she doesn'rt undersrtand the consequences of an appeal either.

Thai-based legal sources said Bamford was being represented by a local lawyer in Phuket but warned that the appeal may lead to the court increasing her sentence by up to two years and forcing her to serve it in an adult prison

[BWPattaya]

15 days is fine, if she finds herself genuinely raped, maybe the police won't be so helpful next time.

I hope that, as a result of this, she isn't targeted for rape as a punishment or to teach her a lesson. She may find that crying wolf once may have ruined her credibility and affect any future police investigation.

[JohnAllan]

Thailand, in particular, Phuket, has been getting an awful lot of negative press lately, and rightly so. It ill becomes a tourist to then make false accusations of such a serious nature, and for her family to treat it as though she were in the right and was about to serve a life sentence.

She got 15 days, not 15 years. And so she damned well should have! Mr Tunks, keep quiet, let your daughter serve her well deserved sentence - one considerably shorter than an innocent accused found guilty would have served - and when she does return home alive and none the worse for wear - which is more than another Australian tourist will be doing - I suggest you remember just why she served time.

Edited June 25, 2012 by JohnAllan

[KarenBravo]

She didn't want her boyfriend to be angry with her because she came back late!!??

So she accuses an innocent person of a crime that they could have been locked away for years, just so the boyfriend wouldn't get angry?

What a completely skewed sense of morality.

[Amras]

Amazing. People think they can come to Thailand and do what they want and then not have to accept responsibility. IF she did this in Australia, she would be in serious trouble criminally and, probably also facing a civil defamation case and compensation. 15 days is a lenient sentence.

But making an appeal she forgets that an appeal judge may also decide her original sentence was too lenient and up it. Hope she considers this.

"

Thai-based legal sources said Bamford was being represented by a local lawyer in Phuket but warned that the appeal may lead to the court increasing her sentence by up to two years and forcing her to serve it in an adult prison.

[orosee]

Looks like the slow class of TV was first to comment. Has this not been discussed ad nauseam in the other threads?

There was no direct naming of a suspect in the false rape allegation. There is no proof that, had it come that far, she would have falsely identified one or more innocent "suspects".

The entire commotion here appears to be led by men who have been burned by women in their past. Then again, this is the internet where people say such things because they know they'll never be held accountable for what they write.

Police was notified of an imaginary rape

The number 3 was used, in connection with 3 imaginary men

Malicious intent would have been impossible to prove since no actual person has been accused

That's it.

Fair punishment would be a fine, maybe a steep one. Then PNG the hell out of her. End of story, and without a jail sentence no chance of a book deal. Enough of a deterrent to make other silly people think twice before running to the police, and very little press.

Otherwise, let's have an imaginary trial in front of an imaginary judge, with 3 imaginary wrongly accused men, sentence will be an imaginary amount of time in, you guessed it, an imaginary jail. That should satisfy enough TV posters with imaginary lives. Still, give her a real, not imaginary, fine.

People these days...

[Nigel1500]

... and rightfully so after breeding up scum like that. Like father, like son daughter, comes to mind.![/font][/color]

Well, I've got to disagree with you there. Peter Tunks is actually quite a nice guy. I have met him. I was a big Bulldogs fan in 1970's and 1980's ... until Super League screwed everything up and I switched to AFL ... but that's another story.

I don't discount the seriousness of her crime, though. She should be in jail ... but apparently isn't: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/tourist-who-cried-tuk-tuk-rape-lie-is-tunks-girl/story-e6freuy9-1226406343177

Cheers

The_Ghan

[Amras]

Looks like the slow class of TV was first to comment. Has this not been discussed ad nauseam in the other threads?

There was no direct naming of a suspect in the false rape allegation. There is no proof that, had it come that far, she would have falsely identified one or more innocent "suspects".

The entire commotion here appears to be led by men who have been burned by women in their past. Then again, this is the internet where people say such things because they know they'll never be held accountable for what they write.

Police was notified of an imaginary rape

The number 3 was used, in connection with 3 imaginary men

Malicious intent would have been impossible to prove since no actual person has been accused

That's it.

Fair punishment would be a fine, maybe a steep one. Then PNG the hell out of her. End of story, and without a jail sentence no chance of a book deal. Enough of a deterrent to make other silly people think twice before running to the police, and very little press.

Otherwise, let's have an imaginary trial in front of an imaginary judge, with 3 imaginary wrongly accused men, sentence will be an imaginary amount of time in, you guessed it, an imaginary jail. That should satisfy enough TV posters with imaginary lives. Still, give her a real, not imaginary, fine.

People these days...

Ahh again, just because people feel she should have to deal with some repercussion for her behavior they are " men who have been burned by women in their past", just a stupid comment really. Got proof?

She took 2 days to admit it was a lie, why so long. Whatever reason she did it in the beginning, surely by the next day she would have thought shit, maybe I should tell the truth, but she went on with it, wasted 'police time' and caused a media issue with a girl who was rapped in Thailand.

Surely some people are over the top, with she should serve 10 years etc. But 15 days is nothing and more of a punishment (that she will remember) then a few thousand dollar fine and it will make more of a point to prevent people doing it in the future. (jail vs fine, clearly one is much easier than the other).

She got a real not imaginary sentence.

Regardless of whether people were accused of not, she made false allegations and declared them as truth. People need to be responsible for their actions otherwise where do you draw the line. I think her punishment was fitting.

[FritsSikkink]

warned that the appeal may lead to the court increasing her sentence by up to two years and forcing her to serve it in an adult prison.

However, following the recent murder of Australian travel agent Michelle Smith in Phuket, Thailand may also be looking to repair its battered tourist image, leading to an acquittal.

Roll the dice.

[Puccini]

...Then PNG the hell out of her...

PNG? What PNG might this be?

www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=PNG&btnG=Google+Search

www.acronymfinder.com/PNG.html

Too many possibilities. Can't figure it out.