Thai assault accused bail angers family of Yorkshire victim

Friends and family of a Yorkshire teacher have been angered by news that the man charged with his attempted murder has been bailed.

Adam Pickles, a 40-year-old English teacher from Keighley, was assaulted and left for dead on the drive back to his home in Thailand and has since spent nine weeks in a coma.

A British man was arrested at Bangkok Airport and later charged but Adam’s friends and family have since found that the suspect was bailed by Thai authorities as early as last Friday.

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Adam’s best friend Neil Clappison said: “We are angry and upset that this man has been granted bail to walk the streets as he pleases given the alleged chain of events.

“This is nothing short of a complete disgrace and we are beginning to lose faith in the Thai authorities.”

Adam was discovered by a passer-by and rushed to hospital, undergoing two emergency operations to remove clots and bone from his brain.

After five weeks of being cared for at the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, he was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary on June 24.

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Mr Clappison said: “It is vital that needless barriers do not arise towards a court of law hearing the facts about this horrific crime that nearly took him from us.”

Those close to the former Bradford Grammar School pupil fear that his alleged attacker may have already fled Thailand.

The attack came months after Adam missed the birth of his son last September due to a motorcycle crash which left him in a coma and surgery to rebuild his face.

A campaign to cover the father-of-one’s care costs, which have reached £123,000 and should rise, has so far raised £78,500.

Visit www.donatetoadam.org or www.facebook.com/groups/adampickles to donate or for further information.