British police examining Koh Tao murder probe to return to UK

[webfact]

UK police examining murder probe to return from Thailand

LONDON: -- British police who travelled to Thailand to review the investigation into the murders of backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller are due to return to the UK, having completed their work "as far as possible".

Metropolitan Police officers flew out to the Thai island of Koh Tao last month to work with the Royal Thai Police after an agreement between David Cameron and military ruler General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

It followed international concern about the way the case has been handled by the Thai authorities.

Mr Miller, 24, from Jersey, and 23-year-old Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, were found dead on a beach in September.

Scotland Yard said the British officers will compile a report from their review.

Source: http://www.itv.com/news/story/2014-11-11/british-police-to-return-from-thailand-in-backpacker-murder-probe/

-- ITV 2014-11-11

[EricBerg]

It probably will be a "diplomatic" report. As the whole investigation was messed up big time there will be no reason to upset Thai authorities.

[sweatalot]

It probably will be a "diplomatic" report. As the whole investigation was messed up big time there will be no reason to upset Thai authorities.

I wouldn't be that pessimistic

Anyway good there is another headline about this utterly evil case.

It should not disappear from headlines and from consciousness until it is properly solved and justice is done

If Thailand, her police and politicians lose face big time and much more - so be it. Well deserved

[thesetat2013]

Perhaps they will agree with the RTP who committed this crime since they were not permitted to investigate wseperately and were only fed evidence from the RTP.

I also agree with ericberg

[Boxclever]

I hope they release a full report on their findings and observations...

[chainarong]

What ever the out comes they could only investigate as far as possible , that says that diplomatic talk will prevail and no media stops off the record will take place, pity, one would like to see the report however tossed up and feel good it is towards the RTP and Thai Administration, we can't have an international incident can we now.

[djjamie]

I am looking forward to the report.

When there is "as far as possible" in inverted comma's in the article that certainly implies the British Authorities will be forthright when releasing the report to the public.

A third party DNA analysis is all it takes.

[pinkpanther99]

Maybe this is because the whole case is such a cluster that it's virtually impossible for anyone be it British Police or anyone else to make head or tail of the 'evidence' collected by the Thai police.

This is already a much talked about subject but what I still don't get and what I don't believed has been mentioned is how have no witnesses have come forward claiming to have heard a commotion, the screams of the victims on the night of the fatal attack.

Presumably there would have been some noise from the victims. I imagine someone in their position would literally be screaming for their lives, yet it seems no one heard this in the dead of night on a quiet island? No local resident, fellow tourist or no body staying in a bungalow nearby heard a single thing of this horrific and fatal attack and double murder.

Nobody was woken up or heard of the commotion as the two innocent victims were being murdered?

I find that hard to believe.

Edited November 11, 2014 by pinkpanther99

[clockman]

It will be, same as Kirsty Jones murder. T.I.T. nothing is ever going to change.

[webfact]

Thailand murders: UK police to compile investigation report

(BBC) UK police are to return from Thailand after reviewing an investigation into the murders of two British tourists, Scotland Yard has said.

The bodies of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were discovered on a beach in Koh Tao on 15 September.

Metropolitan Police officers flew out last month to work with Thai police, who are holding two Burmese suspects.

The UK detectives will now compile a report and "update the families of Hannah and David," a spokesman said.

"Detectives from the UK who are currently in Thailand reviewing the investigation into the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have completed their work, as far as possible," the Met Police said in a statement.

"They will now be returning to the UK to compile their report and to update the families of Hannah and David on their findings.

"The police team wish to thank the Thai authorities for facilitating the visit."

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29999735


-- BBC 2014-11-11

[peptidebomber]

I think people are going to be very disappointed in any report.

Unfortunately relations between two countries will take priority over the lives of two tourists.

[Thaddeus]

No statement about the UK police being perfectly satisfied with 'as far as possible'

[Dogmatix]

Maybe this is because the whole case is such a cluster that it's virtually impossible for anyone be it British Police or anyone else to make head or tail of the 'evidence' collected by the Thai police.

This is already a much talked about subject but what I still don't get and what I don't believed has been mentioned is how have no witnesses have come forward claiming to have heard a commotion, the screams of the victims on the night of the fatal attack.

Presumably there would have been some noise from the victims. I imagine someone in their position would literally be screaming for their lives, yet it seems no one heard this in the dead of night on a quiet island? No local resident, fellow tourist or no body staying in a bungalow nearby heard a single thing of this horrific and fatal attack and double murder.

Nobody was woken up or heard of the commotion as the two innocent victims were being murdered?

I find that hard to believe.

Yes and looking at details of the place where David and his friends were staying, Ocean View Bungalows, it seems that most rooms don't have aircon which is probably the same for other guest houses nearby as this is a backpacker resort. Therefore only the sound of ceiling fans to block out the blood curdling screams of the victims being systematically bludgeoned to death by murderers for whom this is probably a well worn routine. Given reports of the number of battering following by drowning deaths of foreigners on these islands, we can only surmise how many loso Thais and Burmese die the same way at the hands of serial killers at large in the area and nobody dares complain.

[Somtamnication]

What findings? They will only have whatever the RTP gives them. There is no crime scene anymore.

[KunMatt]

I think people are going to be very disappointed in any report.

Unfortunately relations between two countries will take priority over the lives of two tourists.

Probably but one thing to bear in mind is that once the British investigation is done and released then all of the other people involved in the case, I.e. The Wares, McAnna, Hannah and David's friends and families, will all be able to speak to the British press about it freely and the truth will be at least known even if justice is not served.

[Dogmatix]

No one has mentioned anything about our Sean lately and he does seem to have a penchant for self-agrandissment and spaced out incoherence. However, he might be a person the British police would want to interview, if they haven't done so already, as a background witness, given his allegation that Mon and his police friend threatened to 'suicide' him and fit him up posthumously for the murders and the knife-like wounds he sustained in a motor bike accident around the time of the murders.

It shouldn't be hard to find him. When he fled KT journalists reported that he had gone to stay with his girlfriend, Francesca Mussi of Milan, at her home in Italy. Here is the lady in question.

Notice the guitar which had the DNA of its bloodstains tested by KT police. They apparently met in Leeds where the lady was studying which seems to be the backdrop here and here.

Perhaps the guitar will eventually end up for sale at Sothebys. 555

Edited November 11, 2014 by Dogmatix

[delgarcon]

As others have mentioned, an independent analysis of DNA taken from the 2 accused should be enough to verify that they indeed are the prime suspects. I wonder if the British police asked for and were given a sample to try a match against DNA of the victims, which they already have. I somehow doubt it.

The problem is that nobody, not Thai, Burmese, British nor anyone else in the World, who has taken an interest in this terrible affair, will believe that justice has been done if the 2 Burmese are convicted only on the existing evidence.

Those of us living in Thailand know that corruption is rife throughout the kingdom, most of us from experience.

[JOC]

It probably will be a "diplomatic" report. As the whole investigation was messed up big time there will be no reason to upset Thai authorities.

What will the UK lose in a strained relationship with Thailand??

Whatever the Uk is buying from Thailand, they can probably find the same (or better) produce somewhere else for the same price (or cheaper)!

Thailand could be the big loser with almost 1 million highspending British tourists on the line!!

[CockneyGit]

''As far as possible''..??

Whitewash coming!

[alantheembalmer]

"Detectives from the UK who are currently in Thailand reviewing the investigation into the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have completed their work, as far as possible," the Met Police said in a statement." This Met Police statement implies that there has been a critical appraisal of the RTP investigation. I sincerely hope so, anyway.

[Dogmatix]

As others have mentioned, an independent analysis of DNA taken from the 2 accused should be enough to verify that they indeed are the prime suspects. I wonder if the British police asked for and were given a sample to try a match against DNA of the victims, which they already have. I somehow doubt it.

The problem is that nobody, not Thai, Burmese, British nor anyone else in the World, who has taken an interest in this terrible affair, will believe that justice has been done if the 2 Burmese are convicted only on the existing evidence.

Those of us living in Thailand know that corruption is rife throughout the kingdom, most of us from experience.

The British ambassador offered British help in analysing the DNA very early on and was rejected. It is unclear whether the Thai police pathologists would have left any uncontaminated traces of the DNA on the body prior to repatriation. Even the suspects' blood groups would provide a very broad type of cross reference, as used to be done in the old days.

What is reassuring is that we already know that the British police have given the Thai police investigation a clean bill of health as having been done in accordance with the procedures of the Thai justice system. Certainly there can be no doubt that all the required forms were completed with the correct signatures and stamps.

Scotland Yard said the British officers will compile a report from their review.

Of course they will compile a report but will it be may public, given that this is in the public interest as so many British citizens travel to Thailand; or will it be suppressed in respect of the sensitivities of the RTG and the victim's families?

Edited November 11, 2014 by Dogmatix

[JonnyF]

Safest thing is to avoid Koh Tao in my opinion. Whether the Burmese were involved or not, there are certainly others involved (at least one more since there were 3 DNA samples - but probably more), and I'm sure many locals know what happened but won't talk. Nothing happens in Thailand without locals knowing, especially on such a small island as Koh Tao. And they're not talking, so why support them? Why risk your personal safety?

Certainly not the sort of place I'd go to spend my hard earned cash. Who wants to get brutally murdered and then have their naked bodies put on Facebook by the investigating cops? And then have locals bragging about the murders with pictures of them holding a hoe and a sign "no sex on the beach" when there was no evidence of that. Tourists will still go and support these people? Suckers. I'll pass thanks.

[bkkgooner]

The fact that they haven't made any comment on the matter leads me to believe that the report is going to tear the Thai police to shreds

Watching Prayuth get all angry and wound up in the press conference following the report's inevitable leak to the press should be hilarious

i won't be going near Koh Tao for the rest of my days, the shoddy police work, the locals that refused to talk, the people that refused DNA tests. I can't believe that there are still foreigners spending money at that AC Bar it is actually fairly insulting that people are still visiting the island.

Edited November 11, 2014 by bkkgooner

[JOC]

As others have mentioned, an independent analysis of DNA taken from the 2 accused should be enough to verify that they indeed are the prime suspects. I wonder if the British police asked for and were given a sample to try a match against DNA of the victims, which they already have. I somehow doubt it.

The problem is that nobody, not Thai, Burmese, British nor anyone else in the World, who has taken an interest in this terrible affair, will believe that justice has been done if the 2 Burmese are convicted only on the existing evidence.

Those of us living in Thailand know that corruption is rife throughout the kingdom, most of us from experience.

Here we go again. If the DNA-result from the victim in the RTP's evidence-room is tainted/fake, it doesn't matter how many additional tests are taken from the B2, or who conducts the new tests!!

[AGareth2]

so they have still been here

working quietly

The Met said that detectives from the UK who are currently in Thailand reviewing the investigation into the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have completed their work, as far as possible.

[Dogmatix]

In another similar case on New Year's Eve Nick Pearson who, according to his parents who identified his body on site, apparently died in a similar way to David (and Katherine Horton in Koh Samui) from battering about the head prior to being thrown into the sea to drown, the Thai police reported that he had accidentally fallen from his hotel room onto the rocks 50 feet below and bounced into the sea without sustaining any fractures and drowned. This happened on the same Sairee Beach, which is now being dubbed "Murder Beach" by German language media following the disappearance and presumed drowing of a Swiss tourist there at the week-end.

In Nick Pearson's case, it came out at the coroner's inquest that the UK pathologist had reported that Nick may have been attacked prior to drowning. That is probably about as far as UK authorities will be prepared to go to confront any discrepancies in a Thai police investigation that has been completed in accordance with Thai justice system procedures. After all its their jurisdiction.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Dogmatix

[Soutpeel]

if there is no photo op put together by the RTP for the Thai media before they leave, this may give you an indication of how well their investigation went...

As we know in Thailand everyone likes a photo op...

if they leave quietly with no "fanfare" and no photo's of some RTP poo yai shaking their hands and wishing them well, one could assume the relationship between the UK cops and RTP wasn't that kosher

The fact that they were not invited or attended the DNA sampling of a certain gentlemen in BKK certainly suggests that this visit may not have gone so well,

I mean surely the RTP would have tried to use the British coppers to get some "credibility" around this testing, maybe they were asked and said no...

[Dogmatix]

As others have mentioned, an independent analysis of DNA taken from the 2 accused should be enough to verify that they indeed are the prime suspects. I wonder if the British police asked for and were given a sample to try a match against DNA of the victims, which they already have. I somehow doubt it.

The problem is that nobody, not Thai, Burmese, British nor anyone else in the World, who has taken an interest in this terrible affair, will believe that justice has been done if the 2 Burmese are convicted only on the existing evidence.

Those of us living in Thailand know that corruption is rife throughout the kingdom, most of us from experience.

Here we go again. If the DNA-result from the victim in the RTP's evidence-room is tainted/fake, it doesn't matter how many additional tests are taken from the B2, or who conducts the new tests!!

If we had not already received such comprehensive assurances of the praise heaped on the Thai police investigation by the plods, a person with an uncharitable disposition might have suggested that the DNA profiles of the semen and saliva samples found on Hannah's body might actually have been left effectively blank to be completed later, making for greater efficiency in wrapping up the case. Of course this would be totally in line with British, Thai and international standards.

[BritTim]

The "as far as possible", could mean two things. It could simply mean that they have all the facts and consider they have no more to learn. It could also be a veiled reference to a lack of cooperation from the RTP in presenting all relevant information. I think we shall find out which in January.

[greenfox]

Only way this case will be properly solved:

UK authorities were able to get DNA samples from the bodies when they arrived back in the UK.

The UK authorities are given legal rights to take DNA samples from suspects in Thailand, whoever they decide they might be.

Dream time. Will never happen. the case will never be properly solved.