Published on May 30, 2005

The families of the two British backpackers murdered in Kanchanaburi by a police officer expressed disappointment that he had avoided the ultimate punishment, according to the the UK’s Daily Telegraph.

With nine of the victims’ relatives and friends in court, Somchai Wisetsingh, 39, was convicted of murdering Adam Lloyd, 24, last September, and murdering Vanessa Arscott to cover up the first killing – a crime carrying the death penalty.

Somchai had claimed that he did not know the couple, having only said “hello” to them in a restaurant he owns in Kanchanaburi.

But during the trial the Arscott family produced photographs taken on their daughter’s digital camera, showing her being kissed by her soon-to-be killer, who appeared to have been drinking.

Lloyd’s mother, who had brought a framed photograph of her son from Torquay, said tearfully: “They [the Arscotts] want the death penalty. So do I,” according to the Telegraph.

Her husband Brian, said: “We are pleased that the Thai justice system has allowed the murderer of our wonderful son Adam and his beautiful girlfriend Vanessa to be caught and convicted. No form of punishment will ever bring our children back. We trust that the sentence given to this butcher of our children will be served in full.

“He showed them no mercy and he cannot expect us to show him any mercy.”

Graham Arscott, Venessa Arscott’s father, from Ashburton in Devon, said: “We feel that this verdict recognises the cold-blooded and callous way he ended our children’s lives with as much compassion as would be shown to a rabid dog.” He added: “We had hoped for the death sentence for Vanessa’s murder.

“We were told when he was charged that with regard to Vanessa, if guilty it would be an absolute death sentence.”

The Telegraph said he described the grounds for commuting the sentence as “disputable”.

“I don’t think we are entirely happy with what's happened there.”

Arscott said the family had been told life meant life, but in Thailand prison sentences can be cut for good behaviour.

Reductions and amnesties are also granted on the birthdays of His and Her Majesties’ birthdays.

Arscott added that the initial police investigation showed a level of incompetence that was truly beyond belief.

He said he felt sorry for Somchai’s four children, “who are innocent, as our children were”.

Somchai Wisetsingh, whose previously black hair had greyed dramatically, walked into the court in handcuffs in Kanchanaburi last Thursday. His face was puffy and he did not make eye contact with the families, the Telegraph said.

He stood and listened with head bowed as the verdict was read out, just a few metres away from where Lloyd and his wife sat hand-in-hand in the front row, the paper added. Two rows further back the Arscott family watched intently.

At an earlier hearing Somchai, who had been granted bail during the trial, had heard suggestions that his case was weak and he should reconsider his not guilty plea if he wanted to avoid execution.

The judge initially said Somchai was eligible for the death penalty for the murder of Arscott and life imprisonment for the murder of Lloyd.

But seconds later he commuted the sentences to life imprisonment and 33 years and four months respectively, in the light of Somchai’s surrender to the police, an initial confession he made before the trial and his good service as a policeman.

The court had heard he was a multiple winner of the provincial Outstanding Policeman of the Year award. The killer was led away to the cells by his former colleagues through the court’s back door. He has 30 days in which to appeal.

Post your comment to this story here