Two Burmese men sentenced to death for the Thailand backpacker murders

Two Burmese migrants have been sentenced to death after they were found guilty of the brutal murders of two British backpackers in Thailand.

The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found in September 2014 on a Koh Tao beach in the Gulf of Thailand that is popular with divers.


Police said Witheridge, 23, was found bludgeoned to death and had been raped. Miller, 24, also suffered blows to his head before being drowned in the sea.

At a court in Koh Samui on Thursday, three judges found Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun guilty of murder and rape and ordered that they face the death penalty.

The family of David Miller - who had said they wanted to see "justice done fairly and openly" - attended the hearing but relatives of Hannah Witheridge did not travel to Thailand for the verdicts.

David's brother Michael, flanked by parents Ian and Sue, said outside court: "We believe the result today represents justice for David and Hannah.

"David always stood up for justice and justice is what has been delivered today. We respect this court and it's decision completely. "It is our opinion that the evidence against Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin is absolutely overwhelming.

 "They raped to satisfy their selfish desires and murdered to cover up that fact. They have shown no remorse during the trial. We believe the correct verdict has been reached."

The mothers of the two defendants burst into tears after the verdicts and emerged from court as Michael finished the family's statement.

The verdict follows an investigation and trial that was mired in controversy, including allegations of police incompetence, mishandling of evidence and torture of the suspects.

Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, migrant workers from neighbouring Burma who were working on the island, were arrested after weeks of pressure on authorities to solve the crime.

Both defendants, aged 22, initially confessed to the killings but later retracted these statements, saying they had been tortured. Police denied using force during their interrogation.

Prosecutors said the DNA evidence, collected from cigarette butts, a condom and the bodies of the victims, links the two men to the killings.

Migrant workers often face discrimination in Thailand and have been used as scapegoats for crimes in the past.

Allegations by defence lawyers of police incompetence and evidence of mishandling have dominated the trial, which began in July and ended in October after 21 days of witness hearings.

Thai police were widely accused of bungling the investigation, including failing to close off the island quickly and allowing potential suspects to escape.

A debate over DNA samples that police say link the two suspects to Witheridge's body has been at the heart of the trial.

Defence lawyers had asked to retest crucial DNA samples taken from the victims' bodies but authorities issued conflicting statements on DNA evidence and, at one point, said that it had been used up.

No independent re-testing of DNA evidence had been done in the case.