Another bad apple

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 9:05 am

Just noticed this this morning.

Briton accused of murder arrested in Thailand

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A British fugitive facing a murder charge at home for pushing his fiance out of a moving car and then running over her has been arrested in Thailand a year later, police said on Thursday.

The man, named as Christopher Alan Caunter, 34, was caught late on Wednesday after driving away from police waiting to arrest him at a bar in the beach resort of Cha Am, 150 km (90 miles) south of Bangkok, police said.

"We caught him at a petrol station around midnight after he realised that police waiting outside a bar wanted to arrest him," Lieutenant Colonel Chakrit Iamchangpun told Reuters.

Caunter is accused of killing his fiance, Deborah Jane Townsend, 35, by pushing her out of her car in the eastern county of Suffolk, then backing over her, Chakrit said.

Britain has sought the extradition of Caunter, who entered Thailand in November and also faces charges of assaulting police, robbery, money laundering and drug smuggling in England, a police statement said. It would take at least five months to go through the Thai legal system to extradite Caunter to England, Chakrit said.

Source: Reuters - 29 June 2006

JW · Post by JW » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:20 am

Sounds like a lovely chap. Its a shame he will have to spend 5 months in jail here before going to the luxury jails back home.

Post by **buksida** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 10:57 am

Sounds like the typical thug that is showing up more often around these parts.

Post by **caller** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:45 pm

buksida wrote:Sounds like the typical thug that is showing up more often around these parts.

Thats an interesting comment, Buksida!

Was it a throwaway remark or based on local knoweldge, whats being seen in the bar areas etc?

Post by **Harry** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:21 pm

I think that Thailand has been an attractive bolt-hole for those escaping foreign law for years now, so it's nothing new. It's hard to tell whether it's becoming a more prevalent occurrance though, leastways it is for me..

Lets not forget that Thailand openely hosted that well know despot. Pol Pot for a number of years.

Post by **Guess** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:42 pm

JW wrote:Sounds like a lovely chap. Its a shame he will have to spend 5 months in jail here before going to the luxury jails back home.

Sure thing but you have to bear in mind this is the UK applying for extradition and have seemingly are already levelling smuggling accusations. If they were that sure why was he allowed to leave the country in the first place.

Problem is with the UK system is that they are more interested in clean up rate than getting the right man.

If he is guilty let him rot.

The fact that the Thai police have made the effort to arrest him is good news and demonstrates that there is co-operation between the two countries.

As for Pol Pot I was unaware but I do know that there still is a safe haven for Cambodians in Thailand based on political rather than criminal histories.

This is a subject that has been under review by the UN for two decades.

Post by **buksida** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 3:57 pm

caller wrote: Thats an interesting comment, Buksida!

Was it a throwaway remark or based on local knoweldge, whats being seen in the bar areas etc?

Based more on my observations, incidents and knowledge of the town and its expansion over the years that I have lived here.

We all know about the place across the water attracting these types but unfortunately it seems to be happening here also.

Its a brave new world.

Post by **lomuamart** » Fri Jun 30, 2006 4:27 pm

Guess wrote:
JW wrote:Sounds like a lovely chap. Its a shame he will have to spend 5 months in jail here before going to the luxury jails back home.
Sure thing but you have to bear in mind this is the UK applying for extradition and have seemingly are already levelling smuggling accusations. If they were that sure why was he allowed to leave the country in the first place.

Problem is with the UK system is that they are more interested in clean up rate than getting the right man.

If he is guilty let him rot.

The fact that the Thai police have made the effort to arrest him is good news and demonstrates that there is co-operation between the two countries.

As for Pol Pot I was unaware but I do know that there still is a safe haven for Cambodians in Thailand based on political rather than criminal histories.

This is a subject that has been under review by the UN for two decades.

Not sure about that, Guess. Sounds to me that he was under suspicion, or even wanted, for the other offences. People do manage to get out of countries, especially if money's involved - ie new passport etc.
The murder is the most serious offence and the reason that the UKs asked for extradition.
The other offences are probably just thrown in for good measure - although they're serious in their own right.