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Thai Police Officer Sentenced to Life

Posted by Lance Powers

KANCHANABURI: -- A Thai police sergeant has been convicted of killing two British backpackers and jailed for life.

Adam Lloyd, 25, from Torquay, and Vanessa Arscott, 23, from Ashburton, Devon, died near Kanchanaburi, 80 miles west of Bangkok, in September 2003.

Somchai Wisetsingh, 40, had denied murdering Mr Lloyd and running over and killing Miss Arscott following an incident at his restaurant.

The victims' parents were at the Thai courthouse for the verdict.

Somchai was handed two life sentences for the killings, and convicted on two separate weapons charges.

He faced the death sentence but Judge Dilok Boonthawinant said a confession to police made him change it to life imprisonment.

The sergeant, who surrendered to the authorities on 7 October, told the court he shot Mr Lloyd after the Briton spat in his face during an argument.

He said he had not intended to kill Miss Arscott, whom he accidentally hit with his car as she tried to stop him from fleeing, and then shot in a panic.

Miss Arscott's mother Joyce, who flew out to Thailand with her younger sister Alyssa on Tuesday night, had earlier said she was "optimistic" that Sgt Wisetsingh would be found guilty.

She added: "We will be happy if we get the right verdict, but we have still got to come to terms and start grieving properly.

"They were two dear kids. They had a wonderful holiday and said what a lovely country it was, what lovely people they met.

"They said although they were looking forward to coming home, they said 'Thailand has been like a home to us'."

Asked about the possibility that Somchai could be sentenced to death if found guilty, she said: "I don't care what they do with him as long as he pays for his sins."

Miss Arscott and Mr Lloyd, from Torquay, Devon, had been travelling in Thailand for two months. They were killed two days before they were to fly home.

Posted May 26, 2005 at 05:36 PM | Permalink |