TOP THAI COP SPEAKS OUT: SIMON PETER CARMAN COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE DE-ATH PENALTY UNDER ONE MAJOR CONDITION, POLICE REVEAL
The man accused of murdering a Thai teen before stuffing her body into a suitcase and discarding it may have had the death penalty taken “off the table” if he had boarded a flight back to Australia and was found guilty, a top cop says.
Simon Peter Carman, 45, allegedly murdered Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, following a dispute at his apartment complex in the resort town of Pattaya on Thursday evening.
Police said they were alerted that the girl was missing by a friend on Friday, before her body was found in a suitcase near train tracks.
Carman was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport while allegedly attempting to flee the country via a Jetstar flight to Perth, where he previously lived.
He has since been charged with murder, concealing and moving a body, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes.
If convicted, he could face life in prison or the death penalty.
WA Police commissioner Col Blanch said a line may have been ruled through the latter penalty — were Carman to be found guilty — through negotiations if he had made it back to Australia, where capital punishment has been abolished across all jurisdictions since 1985.
“Historically, when someone has committed a serious offence overseas and has found their way to Australia, part of the negotiations between the two governments, where there is a death penalty in existence in the other country, has always resulted in a negotiation of having that off the table,” Blanch said on Wednesday.
“That’s a historical agreement that’s been going on in Australia for some time.”
On Monday it was revealed that, until eight months ago, Carman had had been living in an unsuspecting industrial unit in Rockingham, in Perth’s south.
Neighbours said he had survived in WA on a disability pension after suffering a neck injury while driving trucks.
They said he told them he was leaving Perth for Thailand to have surgery and “sold all his stuff and just disappeared”.
7NEWS was told he openly spoke about owning guns, and had been in trouble with the law before.
Police suspended his firearms licence prior to him heading overseas, but Blanch would not be drawn on the reason for that.
“I’m mindful of the situation that an Australian is facing overseas, and … I’ve got no issue in answering [those questions] in the fullness of time,” he said.
“But I know the federal authorities would look very dimly on me if I start talking about his situation here in WA.”
Pattaya police colonel Anek Sarathongyoo told 7NEWS that Thai authorities had carefully looked over CCTV footage from the apartment building.
Suspicions were raised when Carman was allegedly seen riding off on a motorbike with a suitcase, but returning without it 20 minutes later.
As police searched for the travel item Carman previously had with him, police allege he tried to flee the country and he was arrested.
A suitcase was found shortly after, with the missing teen inside.
Local police allege Carman told them he “may have strangled her, causing her to lose consciousness and eventually die”, before “he panicked” and put the body in a suitcase.
Carman has denied murdering the teen and claimed self-defence, saying she had threatened him.
“I feel bad for what happened to your daughter,” he said in a message to the teen’s family after his arrest.
“It was out of my control.”
It is still unclear when Carman will appear in court.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong confirmed on Tuesday that consular assistance is available to the Australian.
“We obviously provide consular assistance to Australians overseas where required,” Wong said.
SOURCE: https://7news.com.au/news/simon-peter-carman-line-may-have-been-ruled-through-death-penalty-if-accused-thai-murderer-had-made-it-to-australia-c-22514189?fbclid=IwY2xjawSxrF1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2Vlo2cmVvb3R2UlVIWDJXc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHojmIBp9SIZFeIGSKqr-qCcA7LjIZRBtaYUxYRDTajo6FZoLCH0iAB9oB0FF_aem_abE4JsVu-igMQNysFOmXyg
