British Man Found Hanged in Police Custody

[mrtoad]

I actually have never seen any news about this mentioned previously and it is from last year, but a pretty weird story and certainly a warning to all. It appears it was in the Khao San area. Something very fishy about the whole thing

 

http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Helston-man-Liam-Whitaker-hanged-Thai-police-cell/story-22739026-detail/story.html

 

Helston man Liam Whitaker found hanged in Thailand police cell

By WBEsme  |  Posted: August 15, 2014

Liam Whitaker, 24, from Helston.

A Helston man was found hanged in a police cell in Thailand after being arrested for possession of a class A drug.

Liam Whitaker, 24, was one day in to a three week holiday with friends in Thailand when he was found hanging in a police cell in Bangkok at 4.30am on October 15 last year.

Coroner for Cornwall, Emma Carlyon recorded an open verdict and she was not satisfied there was a legal level of proof that he killed himself.

Cornwall Coroners Court in Truro today heard conflicting evidence from Mr Whitaker’s friend James Meredew and officers in the Thai police regarding the events leading up to his death.

 

Mr Whitaker arrived in Thailand on October 14 and had undertaken a day of sightseeing before going to a bar with his three friends.

Two of the men went back to their room while Mr Whitaker and Mr Meredew had dinner, continued drinking and took diazepam, also known as valium, which they had purchased at a late night chemist.

The pair flagged down a Tuk-tuk motorcycle and Mr Whitaker spoke to the driver about buying harder drugs.

Mr Meredew said: “Liam made some sort of deal with the driver and walked down an alley out of my sight.”

A police officer pulled the pair over and found a bag of powder in Mr Whitaker’s pocket, which he later said was 0.55 grams of “Ya ice” or crystal meth.

The men were taken to Chanasongkram police station where Mr Whitaker was put in a police cell and Mr Meredew told the court he was led out and asked to take money out of a cash machine.

He said: “All I could make out was that they wanted £400,000 baht [Thai currency] which is £8,000.

“I went out with an official looking man to a cash machine. I took out £100 but couldn’t take out any more.

“I don’t believe that Liam had knowingly bought that kind of drug.”

After returning to the police station the officers said they would not release Mr Whitaker.

Mr Meredew went back to the hostel where he was staying to tell his friends what had happened with the intention of returning in the morning.

He added: “I left him [Mr Whitaker] with the feeling that the situation would be much the same as in the UK. I left thinking it would all be sorted in the morning when Liam had sobered up.

“I left him in good spirits – he was happy drunk.”

When Mr Meredew returned around 12pm the following day with his other two friends a British consular told the group that Mr Whitaker had hung himself in a police cell during the night.

There were no witnesses to his death.

Mr Meredew said: “I was shocked and in complete disbelief.”

He gave a statement and told the court he paid 1,000 baht for losing a police officer’s pen.

He added: “It seemed like we were talking to gangsters and the Thai police seemed to be corrupt.

“It didn’t seem safe.”

Mr Meredew persuaded the police to let him leave the station for a break and the three friends went to the airport and flew back to England.

In the documents submitted to the court the Thai police did not record asking Mr Meredew for money.

There is also a dispute over where the pair were arrested by the police, Mr Meredew said they were flagged down in the Tuk-tuk, while the Thai police claim they were walking along Ramburi Road near Tanao Road.

Police Senior Sergeant Major Vittaya Siewaddhiparp, the officer who arrested Mr Whitaker and the first person to find his body, said: “Not long after his friend [Mr Meredew] left the police station we took the accused [Mr Whitaker] to the second floor of the station.

“The accused then asked to go to the bathroom and we took him to the juvenile detention room. We shut the door but didn’t lock it.

“We continued to record the details of the arrest and waited for the accused. I was an extremely long time.

“[When I opened the door] I was very shocked. I found that the accused had used his own trouser belt to commit suicide.”

Detective Inspector David Shelton from Devon and Cornwall police said that there was no evidence of a third party involved in his death as there were not marks on Mr Whitaker’s body to suggest there was a struggle and that it was entirely possible he had hung himself.

He added: “We do have a gap in evidence between what was said between James leaving and Liam being found.”

The inspector said that Thailand had two police forces and the country was known for corruption.

He added that he was surprised not to have seen a statement from the Tuk-tuk driver.

Toxicology reports carried out in the UK by Dr Simon Elliott found that Mr Whitaker had traces of methamphetamine, ketamine, diazepam and alcohol in his urine.

Blood samples taken from Mr Whitaker’s body were destroyed in Thailand before they could be tested in the UK.

His father, Jonathon Whitaker, known as Sam, thanked the police for all of their help in the investigation.

Andrea Whitaker, Liam’s mother, said: “We are heartbroken and we want to warn other parents and travellers that Thailand is a dangerous place and people do get scammed."

Dr Carlyon said that no one could be sure how the drugs he had taken affected his mental state. 

Pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery gave cause of death as 1a, in keeping with suspension and ligature around the neck. 

 

Edited August 16, 2014 by mrtoad

[Thailaw]

And what is the warning -- don't take methamphetamine, ketamine, diazepam and alcohol at the same time?

[mrtoad]

And what is the warning -- don't take methamphetamine, ketamine, diazepam and alcohol at the same time?

Something along those lines, but also getting involved with drugs in Thailand full stop.

 

Does that make sense, or are we trying to go into "smart alec" territory? 

[Puyai]

“I left him [Mr Whitaker] with the feeling that the situation would be much the same as in the UK. I left thinking it would all be sorted in the morning when Liam had sobered up.

 

Sorry, but must be one of the most stupidest statements I've ever heard..

[mrtoad]

Agree on that, clearly both of them were pretty naive as to what situation they had got themselves into. Certainly not travel savvy

[96tehtarp]

Sadly people hang themselves in jail cells all over the world everyday.

 

Note to anyone considering hanging themselves in a jail cell: You can always do it tomorrow. (Nietzche said).

 

Note to Police: It's standard police procedure to remove belts and shoelaces from suspects when left alone in a cell!

 

RIP to the unfortunate 24 y/o and sincere condolences to his family.

 

Drugs, yuck!

[neverdie]

I'm not going to make a comment that would seem callous, but you probably can guess what I'm thinking.

I do want to say that these types of stories should be played time and time again back in the western countries, as a warning. That's all.

[mrtoad]

I totally agree ND - that was why I mentioned it is a good warning to all. 

 

Drugs of course are endemic in all countries, but the risk of getting into serious shit in Thailand is significantly higher. It's a sad lesson, and sad for the family who have lost a loved one.

 

I'm actually surprised that I hadn't seen this story reported anywhere here previously. 

[Seastallion]

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

[neverdie]

Many years ago I remember entering the old section of Don Mueang airport, it was a concrete corridors with a right hand bend at the end of it. A sign there (I thing painted in red) said something like, 'Drugs = Death'......something like that.

I remember thinking that one would have to be either be stupid or have big testicles or BOTH to dabble in that filthy little trade here in Thailand, especially as a foreigner. Never the less, there was no shortage of fools that tried it.

The young people of the current times seem to have an indestructible attitude, worse than it was decades ago and they seem to think everything will work in the same way it does home in their 'nanny state'......the reality of the situation is SHOCKING.

RIP, young man, what a waste of a life, irregardless of how it was lost.

[96tehtarp]

I'm not going to make a comment that would seem callous, but you probably can guess what I'm thinking.

I do want to say that these types of stories should be played time and time again back in the western countries, as a warning. That's all.

 

The poor chap in the OP (RIP) could have pulled through and gone through the Thai judicial system, done some time, and lived to tell about it and learned something. He wouldn't likely have served the full term sentenced.

 

I wonder if all the western media hype about "Bangkok Hilton" may have influenced his drug impaired decision to hang himself.

[neverdie]

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

I appreciate your assumptions, however you are wrong about the belt and the height thing. The rest of what you said certainly leaves the warning bells ringing though.

I've seen several people hung by belts. I have seen people hung at low heights,simply where the weight of their upper body caused their strangulation, they were sitting as they did it.

Obviously, I share your concern, it's highly suspicious..... sadly this probably isn't the first time this sort of thing happened and probably won't be the last.

[tonytigerbkk]

Many years ago I remember entering the old section of Don Mueang airport, it was a concrete corridors with a right hand bend at the end of it. A sign there (I thing painted in red) said something like, 'Drugs = Death'......something like that.

I remember thinking that one would have to be either be stupid or have big testicles or BOTH to dabble in that filthy little trade here in Thailand, especially as a foreigner. Never the less, there was no shortage of fools that tried it.

The young people of the current times seem to have an indestructible attitude, worse than it was decades ago and they seem to think everything will work in the same way it does home in their 'nanny state'......the reality of the situation is SHOCKING.

RIP, young man, what a waste of a life, irregardless of how it was lost.

 

I remember when I first got to Thailand there used to be posters in the Immigration departments about drugs.

I can't remember the exact wording but it was something like 'If you use drugs in Thailand you will be caught and you might get the death penalty, please enjoy your stay in Thailand and have a nice day'.

 

Certainly a sobering message.

[mrtoad]

 

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

I appreciate your assumptions, however you are wrong about the belt and the height thing. The rest of what you said certainly leaves the warning bells ringing though.

I've seen several people hung by belts. I have seen people hung at low heights,simply where the weight of their upper body caused their strangulation, they were sitting as they did it.

Obviously, I share your concern, it's highly suspicious..... sadly this probably isn't the first time this sort of thing happened and probably won't be the last.

 

Agreed, that there doesn't need to be a high ligature point, I've seen people  hanging from a door Knob, Sink Unit etc, not particularly pleasant.  There is a lot of holes in this story, and the conduct of The BIB is questionable. Sadly, don't think the wholse story will ever come out. Tragic for the family.

[ATF]

Good report Mr.Toad and what a waste of such a young life.

 

What people need to understand is that in Thailand the Police basically have a free mandate to do whatever they want when it comes to drugs. Especially METH.

 

The Police see methheads as the lowest of the low and they will treat you like an animal. Drugs + Thailand = Death.

[mrtoad]

The fact that The Coroner has given an Open Verdict suggests that there is some doubts as tot he veracity of The Thai Police version. The toxicology reports also seem dubious, and likely that the chain of custody is tainted. 

 

I had a look on google, and only found a very small report in The Samui Times regarding the death last year - smells of a cover up, surprised that this didn't get picked up by Drummond. 

[ATF]

 

no you are wrong, you are totally wrong.

We are in 3rd world country,  the thai police are responsible for sure! They wanted to extorte him.

They certainly frigthened him. abused him. If he dont pay a huge amount of money, the thai b### cops certainly told him, he gonna spend a long time in jail.

They certainly shout at him all night to pay. The young guy, lose totally his mind, he was under panic... after who knows what did really happened.

 

But there is one thing, for sure, these thai cops are the worst scum on earth!

 

 

 

Have you ever heard of a cop getting reprimanded for extorting druggies. I don't think so. They have carte blanche to do whatever they like when it comes to drugs.

 

If you want to take drugs don't live in Thailand.

 

BTW the Thai Police are one of the best Police forces on earth if you are on their side. If you are not they are probably extremely inconvenient for you.

[krisb]

Mate, day 1 into a boys trip in Thailand, found hung in a cell that night.

Does sound fishy.

Poor chap, and his poor folks.

[96tehtarp]

The fact that The Coroner has given an Open Verdict suggests that there is some doubts as tot he veracity of The Thai Police version. The toxicology reports also seem dubious, and likely that the chain of custody is tainted. 

 

I had a look on google, and only found a very small report in The Samui Times regarding the death last year - smells of a cover up, surprised that this didn't get picked up by Drummond. 

 

I have been extorted for money on a few occasions and each time it was when I was in the wrong. This was for petty offences, never drugs.

 

Each time it came down to a simple question; Do you want to handle this now our way, or the official way through the system? Choose.

 

I agree with ATF when the issue is a Class "A"  drug possession charge they will have an absolute field day with it.

 

"smells of a cover up"

 

I can see a possible cover up of the extortion attempt which in itself is painful enough for the family of the deceased. Anything more than that would be pure speculation IMO. Out of respect for the family I'll leave it at that.

Edited August 16, 2014 by 96tehtarp

[mrtoad]

Agreed with all comments here, certainly when drugs are concerned you are in big shit - and a 400,000 baht bung to get away is no surprise, as the accused is not holding a particularly strong hand. 

 

A real tragedy though

[ATF]

Mate, day 1 into a boys trip in Thailand, found hung in a cell that night.

Does sound fishy.

Poor chap, and his poor folks.

 

Kris agreed only one day. His parents must be off their heads.

 

I could imagine it going one of two ways the deceased threatening the Police and giving them all sorts of lip or the Police filling him with so much fear about what would happen to him if he didn't get it sorted and both sides acted accordingly.

 

Damned shame.

[DaveWalsh]

 

 

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

I appreciate your assumptions, however you are wrong about the belt and the height thing. The rest of what you said certainly leaves the warning bells ringing though.

I've seen several people hung by belts. I have seen people hung at low heights,simply where the weight of their upper body caused their strangulation, they were sitting as they did it.

Obviously, I share your concern, it's highly suspicious..... sadly this probably isn't the first time this sort of thing happened and probably won't be the last.

 

Agreed, that there doesn't need to be a high ligature point, I've seen people  hanging from a door Knob, Sink Unit etc, not particularly pleasant.  There is a lot of holes in this story, and the conduct of The BIB is questionable. Sadly, don't think the wholse story will ever come out. Tragic for the family.

 

 

Auto-erotic asphyxiation.

 

The guy was young, drunk and possibly high on drugs. 

 

Note: "I left him in good spirits – he was happy drunk."

 

It's a question of definition: did Michael Hutchence and David Carradine "hang" themselves?

 

Is there a police photo showing the deceased at the time he was found?

 

Was the body hanging from the ceiling, or was it propped up against the bars of the cell?

 

 

 

 

[JesseFrank]

Mate, day 1 into a boys trip in Thailand, found hung in a cell that night.

Does sound fishy.

Poor chap, and his poor folks.

 

I don't think it was their first trip. Would you on your first day ever in unknown country flag down a tuk tuk driver and ask him to get you some hard drugs ?

 

Looks like th boy was well experienced.

[JesseFrank]

 

Many years ago I remember entering the old section of Don Mueang airport, it was a concrete corridors with a right hand bend at the end of it. A sign there (I thing painted in red) said something like, 'Drugs = Death'......something like that.

I remember thinking that one would have to be either be stupid or have big testicles or BOTH to dabble in that filthy little trade here in Thailand, especially as a foreigner. Never the less, there was no shortage of fools that tried it.

The young people of the current times seem to have an indestructible attitude, worse than it was decades ago and they seem to think everything will work in the same way it does home in their 'nanny state'......the reality of the situation is SHOCKING.

RIP, young man, what a waste of a life, irregardless of how it was lost.

 

I remember when I first got to Thailand there used to be posters in the Immigration departments about drugs.

I can't remember the exact wording but it was something like 'If you use drugs in Thailand you will be caught and you might get the death penalty, please enjoy your stay in Thailand and have a nice day'.

 

Certainly a sobering message.

 

 

Never been sobering to me, but then I also never came here with the intention to get stoned.

[neverdie]

 

 

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

I appreciate your assumptions, however you are wrong about the belt and the height thing. The rest of what you said certainly leaves the warning bells ringing though.

I've seen several people hung by belts. I have seen people hung at low heights,simply where the weight of their upper body caused their strangulation, they were sitting as they did it.

Obviously, I share your concern, it's highly suspicious..... sadly this probably isn't the first time this sort of thing happened and probably won't be the last.
 

Agreed, that there doesn't need to be a high ligature point, I've seen people  hanging from a door Knob, Sink Unit etc, not particularly pleasant.  There is a lot of holes in this story, and the conduct of The BIB is questionable. Sadly, don't think the wholse story will ever come out. Tragic for the family.
 

 
Auto-erotic asphyxiation.
 
The guy was young, drunk and possibly high on drugs. 
 
Note: "I left him in good spirits he was happy drunk."
 
It's a question of definition: did Michael Hutchence and David Carradine "hang" themselves?
 
Is there a police photo showing the deceased at the time he was found?
 
Was the body hanging from the ceiling, or was it propped up against the bars of the cell?
 
 
 
 

Re: Auto-erotic asphyxiation. I don't think he would of been up to that whilst in Police custody and the give away would of been his trousers undone & perhaps his pecker out.

Having said all of that & that your questions are more than valid......who knows where the truth lies, I'm not sure what evidence was collected or examined at the time, if at all.

[mrtoad]

Mate, day 1 into a boys trip in Thailand, found hung in a cell that night.

Does sound fishy.

Poor chap, and his poor folks.

 
I don't think it was their first trip. Would you on your first day ever in unknown country flag down a tuk tuk driver and ask him to get you some hard drugs ?
 
Looks like th boy was well experienced.

Or profoundly naive Jesse.

[mrtoad]

 

 

I think I'd struggle to hang myself with a belt. Liam looked quite thin, so his belt would not have been very long. Then you'd have to tie it high...was there a chair? Unusual to have a loose chair in a holding cell.

I appreciate your assumptions, however you are wrong about the belt and the height thing. The rest of what you said certainly leaves the warning bells ringing though.

I've seen several people hung by belts. I have seen people hung at low heights,simply where the weight of their upper body caused their strangulation, they were sitting as they did it.

Obviously, I share your concern, it's highly suspicious..... sadly this probably isn't the first time this sort of thing happened and probably won't be the last.
 

Agreed, that there doesn't need to be a high ligature point, I've seen people  hanging from a door Knob, Sink Unit etc, not particularly pleasant.  There is a lot of holes in this story, and the conduct of The BIB is questionable. Sadly, don't think the wholse story will ever come out. Tragic for the family.
 

 
Auto-erotic asphyxiation.
 
The guy was young, drunk and possibly high on drugs. 
 
Note: "I left him in good spirits he was happy drunk."
 
It's a question of definition: did Michael Hutchence and David Carradine "hang" themselves?
 
Is there a police photo showing the deceased at the time he was found?
 
Was the body hanging from the ceiling, or was it propped up against the bars of the cell?
 
 
 
 

Not disagreeing with you, but doubt it was anything auto erotic though. Still a lot of unanswered questions and a waste of a young life.

[yoslim]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/aug/07/michael-schumacher-medical-records-theft-suspect-found-hanged

 

people can do crazy stuff when being imprisoned for the first time... 

[frollywolly]

Likely the young bloke was abusive towards police and threatening all sorts of things.

 

Then he is found hanging in cell.  He could have had his hands tied behind his back and been comatose but it would still be suicide in Thailand.

 

 

[DP25]

 

I'm not going to make a comment that would seem callous, but you probably can guess what I'm thinking.

I do want to say that these types of stories should be played time and time again back in the western countries, as a warning. That's all.

 

The poor chap in the OP (RIP) could have pulled through and gone through the Thai judicial system, done some time, and lived to tell about it and learned something. He wouldn't likely have served the full term sentenced.

 

I wonder if all the western media hype about "Bangkok Hilton" may have influenced his drug impaired decision to hang himself.

 

 

I agree he could have pulled through if he'd gone through the judicial system, but it's not just the western media hyping Thai prisons. 

 

Some corrupt Thai police officers themselves will do it when they pick a foreigner up, in order to extract a bribe from them.  A friend of mine got stopped by the police randomly, and happened to be on a very short overstay (a few days).  He got stopped by the wrong police.  They basically took him away in a truck and started telling him they had to take him to immigration prison -  and that it was a very bad place.  He'd probably be raped his first night there while in a cell with a hundred people, would be stuck there months while awaiting trial, and might not survive.  He was happy to pay up.  I've had a few other friends stopped while in the same situation, by non corrupt officers, and they were simply ordered to leave immediately and fix their situation, and they wanted to help them avoid trouble.

 

I imagine these officers were spinning all kinds of horror stories at this kid to encourage him to pay.  He'd be raped, get AIDS, be sentenced to life in prison, etc.  In his state it was all probably too much to handle.