Pol Col SirisakWarasiri, Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, said “he has the right to say this.” But the police are unconvinced, and are pursuing a murder charge against the runaway kick-boxer.
Aldhouse has been remanded in custody for 12 days at Phuket Provincial Prison. The police have already taken DNA samples from him that they will try to match to traces found on the knife used to stab Mr Longfellow. The forensic tests are being fast-tracked, with results expected “soon”.
Section 289 of the Thai Criminal Code prescribes a sentence of death, or 15-20 years’ imprisonment for murder. Bangkok has already stated that the death penalty will not apply in Aldhouse’s case, as part of Thailand’s deal to get the accused man extradited from the UK, where he fled after the killing.
Under section 290 – “Whoever causes death to the other person by inflicting injury upon the body of such person without intent to cause death” – the sentence is three to 15 years.