Victim of Thailand murder is brought home again

Hannah Witheridge, 23, was found with severe head wounds next to Leeds University David Miller, 24, on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last Monday.

Her family said that they had travelled to Bangkok on Tuesday to bring their “beloved Hannah” home and find out more about the investigation.

In a statement, they said: “We can confirm that we have now returned to the UK with our beautiful Hannah.

“As a family we feel enormous relief to have Hannah back at home where she belongs.

“We continue to work closely with officers to assist in the investigation and bring those responsible to justice.”

A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police said that the force was also looking into claims that the pair had a row with a Thai man in a bar before they were killed.

Police Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen said: “We have discovered fresh evidence which could lead to a new suspect who may have had a relationship or one night stand with Hannah or one of her friends or David the night before they were killed.

“We have asked the Metropolitan Police to go back and make enquiries of Hannah’s friends on this matter.

“The liaison officer here in Bangkok is working on getting that statement. The faster we get it, the faster we may be able to get the bad guy.

“No lines of inquiry can be ruled out and we believe these crimes could have been motivated by sexual jealousy. Police have been made aware of reports that Hannah and David had a fight in a bar with a Thai man before they were killed, but cannot confirm if they are true.”

Post-mortem examinations revealed that Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, died from head wounds while Mr Miller, from Jersey, was killed by severe blows to the head and drowning.

A garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby. Thai police are offering a £4,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects.