Nightmare
for parents
of teacher
attacked in Thailand

Andrew and Adele Pickles told the Yorkshire Post of their disappointment at the lack of help from the UK government with the legal case against his alleged attacker, British ex-pat Sean Henry Tinsley.

The couple, of Thorner, Leeds, have had to appoint lawyers at their own expense and say they are struggling with the complicated Thai legal system and language barrier on their own.

Mrs Pickles, 62, said: “We feel that this could be attempted murder on a British citizen by a British citizen, albeit in a foreign country, but I think most people would think in these circumstances that the Foreign Office and government would give some help and advice and it’s not happening at all.

“It feels that they have washed their hands of it and it’s up to us to deal with it all by ourselves.”

Tinsley, 43, from Wolverhampton, was bailed last month despite concerns he left the country for Britain after the alleged attack. Pattaya police arrested him when he landed back in Bangkok.

Mrs Pickles said: “This man is out on the street now. We don’t know the bail conditions, we don’t know whether he’s meeting them, we don’t know what the charges are and we don’t know if our lawyer is going to take the case yet. We do know it’s got to be heard within 87 days of his arrest.

“It is just an ongoing nightmare that we have got to cope with.”

Mr Pickles, 62, added: “We’ve got to do everything possible to make sure justice is done.”

Adam, from Keighley, taught at the Cathedral School, Wakefield, before moving to Thailand seven years ago to work at the Regent’s International School.

The 40-year-old, who has an 11-month-old son, Ben, was attacked as he made his way home from a bar in Pattaya on May 17.

It is alleged Tinsley assaulted him after Adam accidentally scraped his car. CCTV footage reportedly shows Tinsley returning to the bar and reenacting the alleged attack to his friends.

Adam, who has been in a coma since, was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary in June, where he faces more surgery tomorrow to put titanium plates over part of his skull that had to be removed to ease brain swelling.

He was recently moved out of a high dependency unit to a normal ward where he is breathing for himself and his responses are showing signs of improvement.

Mrs Pickles said: “They are saying it’s a long, long process – months and months – and there is a little bit of concern about why he is not opening his eyes. It’s just a waiting game – that’s really the hardest part of it.”

The couple, who remortgaged their home to pay for his £128,000 Thai medical care and repatriation, also spoke of their gratitude to Adam’s friends who have raised nearly £80,000 towards the bill.

“The money is a big thing but it also helps us emotionally to cope, knowing there are so many good people thinking about Adam,” said Mrs Pickles.

To give to the appeal, visit www.adampickles.blogspot.co.uk.