Aldhouse appeals against Phuket extradition

PHUKET: Those counting on a speedy extradition of British kickboxer Lee Aldhouse to Thailand to face trial for the murder of American Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket last year will have to exercise patience, with the British Home Office confirming that Aldhouse has lodged an appeal.

Monday 12 September 2011, 06:06PM

British kickboxer Lee Aldhouse has appealed the decision that would see him extradited him to Thailand to face trial for the murder of American Dashawn Longfellow in Phuket last year.

On August 24 the British Home Secretary (Interior Minister) signed an order for Aldhouse’s extradition to face trial in Thailand. Aldhouse waited until the final day of his two-week appeal window – September 7 – to lodge an appeal against that decision.

There is no indication yet on what grounds Aldhouse is appealing the decision. Nor is there any indication as to when the appeal will be heard, or when a decision could be made.

To succeed in the appeal, Aldhouse will have to bring forward new evidence not presented at the original extradition hearing, or argue successfully that the judge in the original hearing made a wrong decision on a point in the case.

If Aldhouse is unsuccessful in his appeal, he will still be able to take his appeal to the Supreme Court, whose decision would be final.

If all avenues of appeal are exhausted, police will have 28 days to extradite Aldhouse. If that were to happen, it will be the first time a British citizen has been extradited to face trial in Thailand.

Aldhouse and Longfellow both came to Phuket to study Muay Thai. After a drunken altercation in Rawai’s Freedom Bar last August, Aldhouse allegedly followed Longfellow home and stabbed him to death in front of his horrified girlfriend.

Police put together a case against Aldhouse which included CCTV footage of someone closely resembling him storming into a 7-Eleven and stealing two knives from the shocked staff.

However he was able to flee the country before Thai police could get to him, flying out to the UK where he was arrested at Heathrow Airport when records showed that he was wanted on an outstanding, unrelated warrant.

After serving the remainder of his outstanding UK sentence, Aldhouse was re-arrested for the murder of Longfellow, a US Marine who served with distinction in Iraq and Afghanistan and was taking time out in Phuket to recover from a shrapnel wound sustained while on active duty.

The US government has let it be known that it wants to see Aldhouse extradited and put on trial for the murder in Thailand.