Australian Gunmen Walk Free After Short Phuket Prison Stint

[webfact]

Australian gunmen walk free after short Phuket Prison stint
Phuket Gazette


Australians John Cohen (handcuffed) and Adam Shea were handed down a six-and-a-half-month suspended sentence and a 7,500-baht fine for attempted murder charges. Photo: Chaichana Keowkaew

PHUKET: -- Two Australian tattoo parlor owners are now out of prison after mistakenly shooting two German tourists while trying to gun down alleged Danish mafioso Dennis Mark Knudsen on January 22.

John Cohen, 32, and Adam Shea, 26, were released on April 11 after having served about 40 days of prison time.

“They were sentenced to a six-month, 15-day suspended prison term and fined 7,500 baht,” Phuket Provincial Prison’s General Administration chief Suparat Tantipongwiwat confirmed.

However, the two men chose to serve time at a rate of 200 baht a day instead of paying the fine, Mr Suparat explained.

Mr Cohen and Mr Shea’s target, Mr Knudsen, 24, is currently in prison after being caught for breaking his 2012 bail conditions (story here).

Mr Knudsen was wanted for breaking bail after he failed to appear at Phuket Provincial Court on January 22 to resolve a dispute with Mr Cohen and Mr Shea about a “big bike” worth about 300,000 baht, which eventually led to the tattoo parlor owners attempting to make a “hit” in the tourist dense party town of Patong (story here).

Mr Knudsen was arrested by Pattaya Police on September 20, 2012 on outstanding embezzlement charges. The warrant, number 432/2555, was issued by the Phuket Provincial Court on August 27, 2012.

Mr Knudsen was taken back into the court’s custody on February 3, 2013.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Australian-gunmen-walk-free-after-short-Phuket-Prison-stint-21092.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-19

[madmitch]

Simply unbelievable, even in this country.

Attempted murder, wounding and the prison term is less than you'd get for slandering someone.

The legal system here is the absolute pits.

[Jimi007]

The Phuket Gazzette right on top of the story as usual. I read this in the other news source over two weeks ago.

[andreandre]

The Phuket Gazzette right on top of the story as usual. I read this in the other news source over two weeks ago.

It was on this very forum already some 3 weeks ago....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634957-phuket-tourist-shooting-aussies-get-bail/

[NamKangMan]

This sends a clear incentive to criminals to come to Phuket to do crime.

Get caught here, and all you do is buy your way out of it.

Interesting times ahead for Phuket.

Edited May 19, 2013 by NamKangMan

[webfact]

Note

If you read the OP carefully you will notice that they were released on bail some time ago but not trialed/sentenced

The OP states that they were sentenced and have served time.

This is different

[kurnell]

I know a person or 2 i'd like to get rid of. Sweet!

[JetsetBkk]

Simply unbelievable, even in this country.

Attempted murder, wounding and the prison term is less than you'd get for slandering someone.

The legal system here is the absolute pits.

Ker-ching!!!

Someone has made a lot of money.

Cynical? Moi?

[transam]

, somebody has a new Merc.

[JetsetBkk]

, somebody has a new Merc.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/634957-phuket-tourist-shooting-aussies-get-bail/

they were freed about 15 days ago after the Phuket Provincial Court accepted guarantees totalling B5 million for the two men.

"Guarantees"? Is that another word for 'bribe'?

[edwinchester]

Amazing Thailand!

Whoever thought up that slogan got it dead right.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[boone57]

Man I have a friend doing 23 months and he is an Ausie worth millions. His GF planted some ice in his car and then tipped police. He tried to pay them off and they took his money but would not let him go free. He even married a Thai national before he was sentenced but to no avail.

Besides that, any one knows 53 year old men don't use ice.

I can't believe this article. It makes no sense. This is a no f'in around country. I heard that guns used during a crime was capital. <deleted>?

[transam]

This stuff should be broadcast worldwide to warn folk.

[attento]

Suitable candidates for repatriation ?

What sort of characters do Thailand want as guests, visitors or tourists ? (rhetorical question)

Edited May 19, 2013 by attento

[Jimi007]

Note

If you read the OP carefully you will notice that they were released on bail some time ago but not trialed/sentenced

The OP states that they were sentenced and have served time.

This is different

From an article date 3 May, 2013: The men were sentenced to six months and 15 days in jail on April 11 but the prison terms were suspended on condition the pair be of good behavior for two years.

[Andre0720]

I know a person or 2 i'd like to get rid of. Sweet!

Just keep 10 or 15 thousand bahts in reserve...

[jackspratt]

No doubt they have been deported.

What ......... no mention of that - obviously their visas are up to date.

Amazing Thailand.

[JetsetBkk]

Note

If you read the OP carefully you will notice that they were released on bail some time ago but not trialed/sentenced

The OP states that they were sentenced and have served time.

This is different

From an article date 3 May, 2013: The men were sentenced to six months and 15 days in jail on April 11 but the prison terms were suspended on condition the pair be of good behavior for two years.

Good behaviour? What, like not shooting at blokes in the busiest street on the most popular tourist island in Thailand?

I'm an angel compared to these two reprobates.

[Salapoo]

Lee Aldhouse licks his lips. Anyone remember william douglas or something in chiang mai, 2 years after pleading guilty to murder.

[technologybytes]

Well, it did say the shooting was a mistake... surely that means they are technically innocent, you know lack of criminal intent and all that!

[tomacht8]

" That day, the Australians opened fire on Mr Knudsen on Soi Sansabai, near Patong’s renowned nightlife district on Soi Bangla, accidentally wounding two German tourists in the process. However, Mr Cohen and Mr Shea failed to hit their target: Denny Knudsen."

Tryed to kill somebody,
Attempted murder with premeditation.
illegal weapons possession.
Fired a gun in to the crowd.
Hit two Bystanders.

And then only got 6,5 months!
No wounder, why Thailand is still a paradise for these criminals.

Guess, they had valid work permits for their tattoo studio.
Others got just for working without permit or a joint 6 months!

Edited May 19, 2013 by tomacht8

[JetsetBkk]

" That day, the Australians opened fire on Mr Knudsen on Soi Sansabai, near Patongs renowned nightlife district on Soi Bangla, accidentally wounding two German tourists in the process. However, Mr Cohen and Mr Shea failed to hit their target: Denny Knudsen."

Tryed to kill somebody,

Attempted murder with premeditation.

illegal weapons possession.

Fired a gun in to the crowed.

Hit two Bystanders.

And then only got 6,5 months!

No wounder, why Thailand is still a paradise for these criminals.

Guess, they had valid work permits for their tattoo studio.

Others got just for working without permit or a joint 6 months!

And got released after 40 days! <deleted> is wrong with this place?

(Rhetorical question - don't want to fill up this thread with massive lists.)

[Andre0720]

As I often say, in Thailand, you can drive a vehicle any way you want, any speed you want, any direction you want, as long as you do not cause an accident.

Now I must add, in Thailand, you can use a weapon any way you want, for any reason you want, in any direction you want, as long as you do not kill anyone.

[moe666]

If they had thrown the book at these two guys then it would have been only because they are farang, make up your minds boys

[TPI]

I can see that most of the Op's on this site just don't understand what happened! These two misunderstood young men were just exhibiting youthful exuberance, they didn't really want to shoot the Dane, they were just being playful! It was the German tourists fault for being in the way of the bullets...simple really. The 5 million baht? Where on earth would two clumsy tattooists get 5 million baht! Think about it!

[transam]

If they had thrown the book at these two guys then it would have been only because they are farang, make up your minds boys

Money talks from any nationality. Try and stay safe you lot out there.

[waza]

astounding

[samjaidee]

Man I have a friend doing 23 months and he is an Ausie worth millions. His GF planted some ice in his car and then tipped police. He tried to pay them off and they took his money but would not let him go free. He even married a Thai national before he was sentenced but to no avail.

Besides that, any one knows 53 year old men don't use ice.

I can't believe this article. It makes no sense. This is a no f'in around country. I heard that guns used during a crime was capital. <deleted>?

Interesting that you should make the comment about your friend's age. I'm studying at the moment and one of my fellow trainees is 57 years old and takes meth 2-3 times a week. What's age got to do with drug use?

[SOTIRIOS]

.....scary.......

[johnlandy]

Simply unbelievable, even in this country.

Attempted murder, wounding and the prison term is less than you'd get for slandering someone.

The legal system here is the absolute pits.

Maybe correct BUT if the coppers here did their job better they would have nailed the Dane long ago.

Law abiding non Thai residents have to go through hoops 'annual visa extensions, 90 day reporting and all the other imbecilic crap while Mafioso lowlifes are given free reign, and if the cops claim they don't know, what the he!! are they doing? Too busy manning road blocks thieving money from non-helmet wearing bike riders, or being bought off by said Mafiosa. It is one sick society.