STEVE G wrote:charlesh wrote:I do not have a degree in I'm not totally sure how this works, but I don't think a Royal pardon means you are innocent, It just means that you've been forgiven which is not the same thing.
You are correct, a Royal Pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the penalty associated with it by the King, it doesn't mean that she wasn't actually regarded guilty it's an act of compassion and is often given, usually after lobbying by the government.
After receiving her sentence it was reduced by three years during a general amnesty by the King, again this is pretty normal in Thailand and is usually associated with a special event such as a special birthday or the like, and is something many prisoners in Thailand pin their hopes on.
It has been mentioned that she wanted to serve out her time in Thailand but she must have applied for repatriation and indeed this was the case. She was taken back to the UK and initially held at Holloway Prison where her allocation would have been decided, all repatriated women are sent there as all repatriated men initially go to Wandsworth Prison. She was allocated to Durham Prison there is nothing abnormal in this given the length of her sentence. She was later transferred to Cookham Wood Prison which at the time was a secure establishment for females, and is pretty nice compared with Durham.
After her repatriation back to The UK the government did not push for a pardon, again this is quite normal, she would have been expected to serve out the remainder of her sentence though she would have been eligible for parole half way through her sentence or automatic release two thirds of the way through her sentence. Her parents became activists and fought for her pardon which was eventually given in 2001, she was released having been in prison for 8 years.
Hope this background information clears any confusion, to sum up a Royal Pardon doesn't mean she was not regarded as guilty it was an act of compassion by The King on behalf of the Thai people.
One more point, and this has been mentioned elsewhere, she has stated that she is disappointed in her actions as, among other things, it will mean that she will not be able to return to "the country I grew to love", so it beggars the question why did she put her through this latest ordeal? I agree that is was a mistake to grant her a visa, she probably wouldn't be allowed entry into the US.
The question of the death penalty is always an emotive subject, I for one do not believe there is any place for it in a civilised society, for any crime. In my career I dealt with sex offenders and some of them were most awful people I have dealt with, but I still don't believe they should have been killed by the state.
