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[64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. On September 20, 1988, Tara Calico left her home in New Mexico to go on a bike ride she took, In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned off the coast of Southern California during a boating trip with her, In July 2014, 52 year old Lynn Messer mysteriously disappeared from her familys 260-acre farm in Bloomsdale, Missouri. Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. After unsuccessfully trying to find their possessions, they walked towards Mau Mau's house through the shortcut, which resulted in them being caught on CCTV. 92 Visitor. What really happened there? The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. Create an account. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. A. Kadyrov Hotels near Museum of the Chechen Republic Hotels near The Flower Park Hotels near Visit Chechnya Hotels near Grozny City Observation Deck Hotels near Church of Archangel Michael Hotels near Makhmud Esambayev Avenue Hotels near Museum of Akhmat Khadzhy Kadyrov Hotels near Monument to the Fighters of the . Rockefeller Audio 2022. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. Silje Mathisen 2014; And at least six young Brits have all died in suspicious circumstances on the small island of Koh Tao, leading their loved ones to label it "Death Island". The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. British Bricklayer Luke Miller, 26, was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 6, 2016. Koh tao murders Stock Photos and Images (50) See koh tao murders stock video clips RM 2D0FFR6 - A police searches for clues near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao September 19, 2014. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: joanromans.com, +49803921568627, +34972573012, +34643318517 Focs i Estufes Romans - Joan Romans Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. The Koh Samui Provincial Court has set 24 December as the date to deliver its judgement on two Myanmar men, Zaw Lin and Zaw Ein Htun (aka Wai Phyo), who are accused of murdering two British tourists on Thailand's Koh Tao Island on September 15 last year. Or is Koh Tao just unlucky for visitors or is there something more sinister happening on the beautiful Thai island and haven for Scuba divers? Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. Koh Tao is a small and beautiful island in Southern Thailand, approximately 21 km, 30 km north of Koh Phan Gan and about 70 km from the Chumphon town. [83] A 2016 study said the case, which it described as a litmus test of Thailand's justice system, "seriously damaged the image of Thailand and of its forces of law and order on the global level". June 6, 2021. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. Most mainstream media provide only superficial accounts of what has been happening on the island and their published information is often inaccurate and understated the seriousness of the situation. The past three weeks have been unimaginably difficult and there are no words that can adequately describe the heartache and despair that our family is experiencing. A mistake that many forensic experts say jeopardized the entire investigation.Throughout the investigation and criminal trial, the Thai government and police were heavily criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and the media. Bernd Grotsch 2017; World put on alert as deadly virus spreads, Hundreds dead in horror cough syrup tragedy. The investigation of the Witheridge and Miller slayings was widely criticized as the crime scene was not properly secured, and questions were also raised about subsequent DNA testing. "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". The university graduate, who was two weeks into a four-month backpacking trip round South East Asia, was found dead on her bungalow in January 2015. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Thailands prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, questioned the attire and behavior of foreign female tourists shortly after the killing of two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in 2014. BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher said Miss Witheridge's father and brother sat with their heads bowed as the evidence was presented in court but continued listening. [71], A lawyer for the men, Nakhon Chomphuchat, said "we will appeal as soon as we can, we have just got a copy of the court's verdict. September 23, 2014 5:57 AM EDT T he brutal murder of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao, has reverberated around the world.. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. A woman Povse had been interested in said he had called her twice on the phone that night but she had not picked up because she had been asleep. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. 2023 BBC. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of. In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders of two British backpackers, but theirs weren't the only suspicious backpacker deaths. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! On Thursday the 29 th of August 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand handed down its decision to uphold the death penalties for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, the Burmese migrant workers found guilty of the rape and murder of British holidaymaker Hannah Witheridge and the murder of fellow countryman David Miller in September 2014 on Koh Tao in Thailand. "We identified a person who was with her last and they didn't follow up with them- then we asked for a blood sample and they delayed. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. Mr Zaw and Mr Wai (also known as Win Zaw Htun), both 22 and migrants from Myanmar, also known as Burma, were arrested several weeks later. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". The images shown to the court were graphic, reports Jonah Fisher in Thailand. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. She added: The families of all the victims are not happy with the police reports, autopsy reports in Thailand dont match autopsy reports in the UK. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . If you are interested, I have further information on my social media accounts. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. They suggested that she mixed antibiotics with alcohol- as much as that would make the antibiotics less efficient or make you feel bad, its not going to kill you. Posts on social media said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death, raising questions of her intentions to take her own life. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Read about our approach to external linking. For example, she discovered that one of the DNA labs that conducted tests at the time only had accreditation to do paternity tests and not criminal profiling in a capital murder case. Her mother, Michele claimed that Elise used a fake name of 'Elise Dubuis' to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. A backpacker from Belgium, Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanged in the hillson the island on April 28, 2017. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao", "Links revealed between police and migrants on Koh Tao", "Police: Still no suspect in killings of Britons on idyllic Thai island", "Thai king commutes death sentence of UK pair's killers", "Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', "Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short", "Thailand murders: Victims' families talk of senseless killings", "Hannah Witheridge's family pay tribute to "beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman", "British backpackers murdered in Thailand named as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand murders: Amnesty International call for police torture probe", Koh Samui Provincial Court No. A Japanese high court approved Monday a posthumous retrial for a man who was convicted of murdering a 69-year-old woman in 1984 in western Japan, upholding a lower court's decision. Elise's mother Michele van Egten says she does not believe the Thai police's version of events amid fears authorities are working to suppress speculation about the many murders on the island. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks who build hotels, sweep. Luke Miller 2016; "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. Thaiger Video Monday, March 7, 2022 Less than a minute We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. Koh Tao, Thailand, Serial killers, Unexplained murders WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. 10 July 2015. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. [31][65] Jane Taupin, an Australian forensic scientist brought in by the defence, claimed that the timeline of DNA extraction was dubious; a rapid analysis of DNA samples had happened in less than 12 hours,[34] which she said was unusual because "extracting DNA from mixed samples was difficult and time-consuming". [58] Ostensibly, Wai Phyo changed jobs at the end of September and was travelling by boat to Surat Thani for his new job on the day he was arrested. [76], The International Commission of Jurists said "the defense must be afforded adequate time and facilities to explore whether the alleged destruction of evidence in this case was appropriate and unavoidable, and to test the prosecution case overall." Doubts lingered over the conviction of two migrant Burmese workers for the rape and murders, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. All times AEDT (GMT +11). I am a legal practitioner in Perth, Western Australia who has been following events on Koh Tao very closely since the time of the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on 15 September 2014. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. The bungalow is 50ft above the ocean, theres nothing but massive granite boulders between his bungalow and the ocean so how did he managed to tumble all the way down there? [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. The family has contested the police version of events. The autopsy stated he had drowned. ", The dad added that some of the witnesses they spoke to were "too frightened" to come forward which shows "how the culture is.". Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Enterprise. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; The reporter was forced to leave the country she lived in for 20 years after Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant accusing her of publishing false information and violating the computer crime law.. The governor of the island said he had instructed the district chief to file criminal charges against the local online news outlet Samui Times in 2017 after it ran an article that questioned the police account of deaths and referred to Koh Tao as Death Island. [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. By. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. The former founder of the Samui Times suggests in her new book The curse of the Turtle, released earlier this month by WildBlue Press, that something fishy is going on on that island., She challenges the validity of the investigations conducted by the Thai police claiming she has a lot of evidence and speaks of powerful local families running the island without having to comply with any laws. Police major general, Surachate Hakparn, said in an interview that the police have cracked down on crime syndicates on Koh Tao since the backpackers double killing. Ms Taupin did note however that the document that the prosecution relied upon was an Unendorsed Report in that it had no seal or stamp certifying that it had been produced by an accredited laboratory and in accordance with international standards. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo koh tao, dimitri povse koh tao, christina annesley koh tao, Valentina Novozhyonova koh tao, luke miller koh tao, Elise Dallemagne koh tao, Bernd grotsch koh tao, Alexandr Bucspun koh tao, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. 1. Two migrant workers from Myanmar on death row for the 2014 murder of two British backpackers on Koh Tao have had their sentences commuted to life in . "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. While his death was ruled as suicide cops could not explain why his hands are tied behind his back. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. 0 0. Pol Lt Gen Thanate Pinmuangngam, acting chief of Police Region 8, said In the Dallemagne case, the cause of death was suffocation. Staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. Now their families are demanding answers. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. Hiroshi 2002; There were no signs of fighting or a struggle, nor were foreign objects or substances that could cause loss of consciousness found in the body.. About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. "I got him home and they had a proper postmortem - most of his bones were broken but the one bone that wasn't broken was his neck and there was no evidence of his face looking towards his back. Elise went 1.5 miles (2.5km) through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. Six weeks on . [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. https://time.com/3955081/thailand-koh-tao-murder-david-miller-hannah-witheridge-zaw-lin-wai-phyo-burma-myanmar/, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/dark-side-koh-tao-seven-10708561, https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/tag/Cases+on+the+Death+Island+of+Koh+Tao, https://www.nist.gov/feature-stories/dna-mixtures-forensic-science-explainer. He told the Sun Online: "We want justice. In accepting the 2nd retrial plea, sought by the family of Hiromu Sakahara, who died of illness aged 75 while serving his term in 2011, the Osaka High Court said . Murder of two backpackers on the island of Koh Tao SAIREE BEACH, KOH TAO, THAILAND - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 British tourists Hannah Witheridge (23 years old) and David Miller (24 years old) enjoyed their holiday in Thailand on the famous island of Koh Tao. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Our kids all died on Koh Tao 'death island' - cops claim they were accidents but we think they were MURDERED Aliki Kraterou Published: 13:58, 19 Mar 2022 Updated: 15:34, 19 Mar 2022 The. [34][35], According to the prosecution in the subsequent case, CCTV footage analysed by the police showed three individuals riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven, where they bought beer and cigarettes, before going towards Sairee Beach. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. Speaking at the court, Mr Miller's father Ian said he and his wife Sue had come "with an open mind", adding that it had been an emotional time for the family. Nick's father, Graham, had been the last person to see him when he walked with his son back to where the family was staying. Verdicts in the case are not expected until October. [1] After initially failing to find a match to one of the migrant workers, the police focused their attention on Western tourists related to the victims. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. I have created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to looking into tourist deaths on Koh Tao. [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. Attempted murder by Thai diving instructor, Santi Khokpool in the Fishbowl Beach Bar, Koh Tao on 28-year-old British tourist on 15 August 2020. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. The Mirror reports that Hannahs family have pleaded for the photos of the pair, who were brutally murdered on a Thailand beach, to be taken off the internet. Download videos of River diver on Depositphotos Millions of high-quality, royalty-free stock videos, footage and clips at affordable prices. We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. Rocio Gomez; Police investigators have released photographs and clearer video footage of an unidentified man they believe could be a key to resolving the Koh Tao double-murder case and are asking the. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. A 28-year-old British guy. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. [30] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission said "the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the two Myanmar workers were dubious, leading to impressions the suspects were not aware of their rights and that justice had not been done". British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead Monday, September 15, on a beach in Koh Tao, a popular resort island in Thailand. In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. Only if they are not beautiful." Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. I should add that I was not representing the accused men so I am not presenting arguments on their behalf in any lawyer/client relationship. Thai beach murders: First pictures of British tourists battered to death on island The victims of the attack in Koh Tao have been named as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. Many raised concerns that contamination cast doubt upon the forensic evidence: officials, journalists and tourists were seen walking around the crime scene, and Thai police did not use trained or independent specialists to collect forensic evidence. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. At the end of the trial's third day, the judge said police had informed him all the samples taken on the island were "finished" - meaning they could not be analysed again. Read about our approach to external linking. The police were under pressure to produce results quickly, which affected how they conducted their investigation.