BuffHello Posted January 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 British woman whose body was found in the sea near the Thai resort island of Koh Samui had been beaten and dragged before drowning, a forensics doctor said. A jet skier found the body of Katharine Horton, 21, of Mayfair Drive, Thornhill, Cardiff, south Wales, still wearing an evening dress, in the sea near Lamai beach on Koh Samui, said police Major Tanongsak Aksornsom. He said Horton's friends told police that she left on Sunday to go for a walk, but never returned to her room. Police Lt Colonel Dr Pattana Kitkailart, who performed the post mortem on Horton's body in Bangkok, said she had been hit on the head and body and dragged before drowning. Pattana said further lab tests were being conducted. Her mother, Elizabeth Horton, said from her home in Cardiff: "I am obviously devastated. It is really too difficult to talk." Police have been speaking to her travelling companion, Ruth Adams, who told them Miss Horton received a call from her relatives on her mobile phone while sitting on the beach near the New Hut Bungalow resort where they were staying. While her friend strolled along the beach as she chatted to her family, Miss Adams returned to their bungalow and fell asleep. When she woke up she realised Miss Horton was missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Tuesday January 3, 8:39 AM Thai police say Briton's death probably not accident BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai police on the resort island of Samui have said the death of a British backpacker was probably not accidental, while an autopsy showed she had suffocated and appeared to have been beaten. "It's unlikely that this case was an accident but so far we have not issued an arrest warrant and are not interrogating any suspects," Major Thanongsak Aksornsom, chief investigator on Samui island, said before the autopsy result. The body of 21-year-old Katherine Horton of Cardiff, Wales, was found floating in Lamai bay on Monday morning by a man who rents jet skis to tourists. An initial autopsy result conducted by the National Police Office's forensic institute in Bangkok concluded Horton died from suffocation before drowning, but further tests were needed to learn if she had been raped, police said. "Normally it will take a month, but in high profile cases like this it may take two or three days to know whether she was raped," a police officer said. The officer, quoting the pathologist who performed the autopsy, said the bruising around Horton's head suggested she had been beaten, while scratches on her arms and back meant her body could have been dragged. Thanongsak said police would examine the New Hut bungalow on famed Lamai beach where Horton was last seen by a friend on Sunday night, as well as the site where her body was found. A British embassy spokesman said police in Britain had notified Horton's family, while a consular official was dispatched to Samui early Tuesday to meet Horton's friends and assist the investigation. British media reports said Horton was a psychology student at Reading University who was in Thailand for a two-week holiday and had called relatives in Wales on New Year's Eve to wish them a happy new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simie Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Batty, can't remember where i saw it, but looking at other posts it does appear that the latest info is that it definately was murder. In one report i saw it said she was a student at Reading University. A work mate of mine also has a daughter at Reading but i doubt they would know each other as his daughter is only 18 and in her 1st year there. Going back to London, i'm originally from South London but would'nt want to live there now. A mate of mine does live there and he does'nt walk out at night in his area, gets in his car and drives. Simie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Was just on BBC World news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 Yep its headlining here on Sky News and BBC, ITN, big story it would appear. Mum heard the attack when the victim was talking to her on the phone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted January 3, 2006 Report Share Posted January 3, 2006 update: TE NATION Published on Jan 03 , 2006 A British woman whose body was found in the sea near the resort island of Koh Samui had been beaten and dragged before drowning, a forensics doctor said Tuesday. A jet skier on Monday morning discovered the body of Katherine Horton, 21, still wearing an evening dress, in the sea near Lamai beach on the southeast coast of Koh Samui, said police Maj. Tanongsak Aksornsom. The British Embassy in Bangkok said Horton was from Cardiff, Wales. It was not clear from the autopsy if Horton had been raped, but further lab tests are being conducted to check, police said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckwoww Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 It seems some Thais don't want this story out there.... On the spot: Thais try to play down tourist murder By Times Online Andrew Drummond is on the island of Koh Samui, where Katherine Horton was killed, and reports that the Thai authorities are keen to protect the country's fragile tourist industry, which has been damaged by the tsunami and fears of violence against backpackers "There is a great sensitivity among the Thai authorities about the image of Koh Samui and Thailand in general. "The result is that the attitude of the police is actually quite hostile. Yesterday, they held a press conference for Thai journalists and explicitly told them to play down the story of Horton's death because of the financial consequences and the importance of the tourism to the island. That leaves a feeling that they want to cover this up and try and minimize its impact. http://tinyurl.com/c5g4u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe7e Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 I'm sure they would like to cover it up, but its out of their control now. In the UK it's headlining all over the media, press, tv, internet and radio, it's not suprising really. A photogenic young girl is brutally beaten and murdered by Johnny foriegner whilst on the phone to her mother wishing her happy new year, is always going to be headline news. On top of that, new year is the time when many people in the UK decide on their summer vacations, it couldn't have been much worst timing if they had tried. LOS has shot itself in the foot again, lets hope, for the sake of the tourist industry it's not a policeman this time. As a side note, the TV news is reporting the Welsh police have just announced they will be launching their own investigation into the death. It's all very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limbo Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 Local Thai word is 2 guys are involved. It's not downplayed that much since it is on Thai tv. You may be right Pe7e, another shot in the foot it seems and most likely nobody will get arrested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 4, 2006 Report Share Posted January 4, 2006 The Welsh police, as far as i am aware, are very thorough investigating murders overseas. Hopefull a few of them may turn up in Samui.... after all it cant hurt having them help out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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