Briton held over Thailand attack that left Yorkshire teacher in coma

The man, believed to be in his early 40s and from Wolverhampton, was being questioned by police in Pattaya over the weekend on suspicion of attempted murder and is expected in court today.

It is understood the suspect, named in Thai media as Sean Henry Tinsley, had left the country after the attack four months ago and was arrested at the border as he tried to re-enter Bangkok following a tip-off from UK authorities who knew he was returning to Thailand.

Police are understood to have recovered CCTV footage which shows Tinsley leaving a bar in Pattaya and following Mr Pickles, 40, from Bradford, who had allegedly accidentally “scraped” Tinsley’s car.

The footage appears to show his later return, gloating and re-enacting the crime in front of friends showing how he punched Mr Pickles. He then mimics a person dragging an object or body along.

An international warrant for his arrest was issued by the Thai authorities last week and forwarded to British police.

Mr Pickles, 40, from Keighley, a father of one, remains in a coma at Leeds General Infirmary after he was airlifted back to the UK just over a fortnight ago.

The former teacher at Wakefield’s Cathedral School, who moved to Thailand seven years ago, was attacked as he made his way home from an evening out on May 17. Close friend Katie Jones said the arrest was a huge relief to Mr Pickles’s parents Adele and Andrew, of Thorner, Leeds, who are having to remortgage their home and use their retirement savings to help pay for their son’s Thai hospital bill and repatriation.