Phuket Court denies bail for Garry Halpin, former Tourist Police Volunteer

[webfact]

Phuket Court denies bail for Garry Halpin, former Tourist Police Volunteer
Phuket Gazette


Drug suspect Garry Halpin has been denied bail by the Phuket Provincial Court. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Provincial Court denied bail for long-term expat and former Tourist Police Volunteer Garry Halpin, who is being held at Phuket Provincial Prison.

“Mr Halpin was denied bail by the court and had also been denied bail by the Chalong Police on December 16,” said Chalong Police Deputy Superintendent Jumroon Plaidoung.

Police are waiting for drug test results before handing the case to the public prosecutor by March 10.

“I do not know exactly when we will receive those results, but we should have them by the end of February,” Lt Col Jumroon said.

The police have a maximum of 84 days – seven terms of 12 days each – in which to collect evidence in the case against Mr Halpin before they have to take it to court, explained a Phuket Prison officer. They currently have four terms remaining – 48 days –to build their case.

Mr Halpin, 52, was arrested on December 14 in Chalong and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell (story here).

He was found with more than 18 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), drug paraphernalia, a digital scale and cough syrup.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Phuket-Court-denies-bail-for-Garry-Halpin-former-Tourist-Police-Volunteer-23344.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-01-21

[tominbkk]

They must have one heck of a vetting process for those Phuket Farang Patrols!

[Calimotty]

METH-odd in the madness.

[lee b]

Why does this guy ( even though he looks a little ill in the photo ) look very familiar? Was he one of the tourist cops in the big trouble series, or does he just look like someone i may have seen before???

[NomadJoe]

They must have one heck of a vetting process for those Phuket Farang Patrols!

I am not aware of any process which predicts the future. As far as I know he had no police record here or back home.

[HeavyDrinker]

Was he one of the tourist cops in the big trouble series

Wasn't that covering the Pattaya buffoons?

[KarenBravo]

The real question is......

Is he really two metres tall?

[Costas2008]

Silly him.....being nearly 2mts tall.....would be an eyesore........very difficult to hide from anyone .

[mrtoad]

What a bozo.

[Skattanmicce]

Why does this guy ( even though he looks a little ill in the photo ) look very familiar? Was he one of the tourist cops in the big trouble series, or does he just look like someone i may have seen before???

Same guy, olso same series on tv here in Finland

[Calach]

The cough syrup was the straw that broke the camel's back. That's bad luck.

[webfact]

Halpin in Phuket court, no bail granted
Khemin Wicheetthagoon


Garry Halpin, photographed at the time of his arrest.

PHUKET: -- Former police volunteer Garry Halpin appeared in court yesterday (January 20) for the first time on a charge of possession of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) with intent to sell.

He was not asked to plead; the hearing was held to consider an extension of New Zealander Halpin’s detention in custody while police continue their investigations.

Pol Lt Col Jamroon Prayduang of Chalong Police told The Phuket News that the extension was granted. Halpin neither applied for nor received bail, and he is now being held in Phuket Provincial Prison.

Police are currently waiting for forensic scientists to assess the purity of the ya ice seized from Halpin.

The purity of the drug may have a bearing on any prison sentence, should Halpin be found guilty. Usually, the higher the quality of the drug is, the longer will be the period of incarceration.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/halpin-in-phuket-court-no-bail-granted-44139.php


-- Phuket News 2014-01-21

[Alwyn]

wow... this clown has seen with his own eyes what happens to offenders, the farangs and poor Thais (the rich ones pay a bit of tea money and are gone from the system.. allegedly) when they get collared and sent down and yet he does it anyway? Not too much sympathy I'm afraid especially as he's probably had a hand in other people's downfall. His time in prison will be less than happy methinks

[steelepulse]

Does he not have enough money to get bail ( after he asks for bail, but <deleted> do you have to ask for bail) or are the police losing face over this one? When murderers are granted low bail, why can't an ex police whipping boy get bail for 18 grams?

[technologybytes]

I notice that everyone is quick to assume that he is guilty.

Remember the police side is only an allegation, it's a long way from being decided if there is any case to answer let alone innocence or guilt.

The fact that he was a tourist police volunteer means that he MAY have made some enemies along the way, is it not at least possible that he's been set up?

Treat him with the respect he deserves, he's innocent until proven guilty !!

[lostmebike]

No bail, 'SOM NOM NA'

[Docno]

They must have one heck of a vetting process for those Phuket Farang Patrols!

I am not aware of any process which predicts the future. As far as I know he had no police record here or back home.

Every hiring process--good or bad--is designed to predict the future in a sense. I was involved in the hiring of police for many years, and we used specially designed interviews, psychological assessments, and physical tests. They're not fool-proof, but they do reduce the likelihood of hiring 'problem children' (as some uniformed officers liked to call them). Of course, these tests, etc, are not cheap, so they're unlikely to be used for volunteers except those in highly sensitive roles.

p.s. There are in fact a number of tests that measure 'deviance' (for example), though I'm not sure how the typical farang-in-thailand would fare on them

[AlphMichaels]

Why does this guy ( even though he looks a little ill in the photo ) look very familiar? Was he one of the tourist cops in the big trouble series, or does he just look like someone i may have seen before???

According to a friend of mine who lived there for some time and knows about him, yes, that's the guy.

[Hawk]

I notice that everyone is quick to assume that he is guilty.

Remember the police side is only an allegation, it's a long way from being decided if there is any case to answer let alone innocence or guilt.

The fact that he was a tourist police volunteer means that he MAY have made some enemies along the way, is it not at least possible that he's been set up?

Treat him with the respect he deserves, he's innocent until proven guilty !!

In Thailand anyone who gets arrested is automatically guilty because the Thai police never ever arrest innocent people!

Do they?

[stewsan]

"Police are waiting for drug test results before handing the case to the public prosecutor by March 10.

“I do not know exactly when we will receive those results, but we should have them by the end of February,” Lt Col Jumroon said.

Hmmmmm, let's say they drew blood on December 18, how can it take over 2 months to run a blood test? A full urine test needs to be completed within 24 hours, Blood degrades for testing over time and if not handled properly of course will not test accurately. I'm just curious, any one seen something like this before?

[aveabeeror2]

Why does this guy ( even though he looks a little ill in the photo ) look very familiar? Was he one of the tourist cops in the big trouble series, or does he just look like someone i may have seen before???

As I never went to University, I would not know if he looks like someone you have seen before.maby someone with a higher intellengance that I can answer that for you.

[telldem]

My 3 year old daughter makes that same face when I tell her to turn off her iPad.

[aveabeeror2]

wow... this clown has seen with his own eyes what happens to offenders, the farangs and poor Thais (the rich ones pay a bit of tea money and are gone from the system.. allegedly) when they get collared and sent down and yet he does it anyway? Not too much sympathy I'm afraid especially as he's probably had a hand in other people's downfall. His time in prison will be less than happy methinks

You do not know if he has "had a hand in other peoples downfall." Get a life.

[aveabeeror2]

wow... this clown has seen with his own eyes what happens to offenders, the farangs and poor Thais (the rich ones pay a bit of tea money and are gone from the system.. allegedly) when they get collared and sent down and yet he does it anyway? Not too much sympathy I'm afraid especially as he's probably had a hand in other people's downfall. His time in prison will be less than happy methinks

You do not know if he has "had a hand in other peoples downfall." Get a life.

[Hawk]

Treat him with the respect he deserves !!

Respect! What respect does this asswi*e deserve pray tell? He's just another pathetic wannabe cop who was dealing dope. A loser who could legally don a silly uniform and then believe that he had the power to command the public. I have seen too many of these toady foreign tourist cops who are just full of their own self importance. In any civilized country these prats wouldn't even be employed as police station cleaners.

As AC/DC said, "Good riddance to bad rubbish".

[JJttttt1]

The cough syrup was the straw that broke the camel's back. That's bad luck.

Cough syrup contains pseudoephedrine - a substance which could be easily modified to methamphetamine. So seems like he not just pushed meth but produced it himself...

[technologybytes]

Treat him with the respect he deserves !!

Respect! What respect does this asswi*e deserve pray tell? He's just another pathetic wannabe cop who was dealing dope. A loser who could legally don a silly uniform and then believe that he had the power to command the public. I have seen too many of these toady foreign tourist cops who are just full of their own self importance. In any civilized country these prats wouldn't even be employed as police station cleaners.

As AC/DC said, "Good riddance to bad rubbish".

I have a personal dislike for police volunteers, however regardless of likes or dislikes he deserves the respect of being assumed innocent until proven guilty.

Personally I'd like to see all the police volunteers fired and removed from Thailand as I find the concept abhorrent, however I would not want to see anyone unfairly accused of a crime and held in prison in Thailand... the punishment must always fit the "crime".

[Windy]

"Police are waiting for drug test results before handing the case to the public prosecutor by March 10.

“I do not know exactly when we will receive those results, but we should have them by the end of February,” Lt Col Jumroon said.

Hmmmmm, let's say they drew blood on December 18, how can it take over 2 months to run a blood test? A full urine test needs to be completed within 24 hours, Blood degrades for testing over time and if not handled properly of course will not test accurately. I'm just curious, any one seen something like this before?

They are waiting for the tests of the drugs he was picked up with, not what may or maynot be in his blood.

[thailandbeachisland]

SOM NAM NA !

[BB1955]

They must have one heck of a vetting process for those Phuket Farang Patrols!

I am not aware of any process which predicts the future. As far as I know he had no police record here or back home.

Every hiring process--good or bad--is designed to predict the future in a sense. I was involved in the hiring of police for many years, and we used specially designed interviews, psychological assessments, and physical tests. They're not fool-proof, but they do reduce the likelihood of hiring 'problem children' (as some uniformed officers liked to call them). Of course, these tests, etc, are not cheap, so they're unlikely to be used for volunteers except those in highly sensitive roles.

p.s. There are in fact a number of tests that measure 'deviance' (for example), though I'm not sure how the typical farang-in-thailand would fare on them

I was IA back in the USA seen many a cop take the fall . Just because you wear a badge doesn't mean your an upstanding person . Its the person behind the badge that makes that choice . There is no test that will predict what a person will do with 100% accuracy ........