Australian indicates guilty plea in Thai teen's death

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 09:54 · Archive

A Perth man has indicated he will plead guilty to concealing a corpse in the case of a 17-year-old Thai girl found dead in a suitcase.

Simon Peter Carman, a 46-year-old Perth man, indicated on Monday that he would plead guilty to concealing a corpse in the case of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla. Her body was found in a suitcase by railway tracks near Pattaya, a city about 150km southeast of Bangkok, after she was reported missing in June.

Carman was brought in shackles to Pattaya Provincial Court on Monday for a procedural hearing. He faces charges of premeditated murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty, two counts of indecent behaviour involving a minor, and concealing a corpse. He had initially denied all charges, saying he was acting in self-defence and did not know the girl's real age. However, when a judge advised him that the evidence against him on hiding the victim's corpse was strong, and he could expect leniency if he confessed, he indicated he would change his plea to guilty on that charge.

Family members saw Carman in person for the first time on Monday. The victim's aunt, Miruntree Thanachai, told reporters: 'We previously asked the authorities, but they didn't allow us to see him. We want to meet the person who killed our family member.' Police said the girl was last seen on security footage walking into a condominium with Carman, who was later seen leaving alone with a large suitcase.

How it is being reported

• Australian accused of Thai teen's murder indicates pleaFamily members of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase have faced her alleged killer for the first time in court.Perth Now · 12 Oct, 09:19
• Australian accused of Thai teen's murder indicates pleaFamily members of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase have faced her alleged killer for the first time in court.The West Australian · 12 Oct, 09:19

In this story: Simon Peter Carman · Tunchanok Donhomla · Miruntree Thanachai · Pattaya · Bangkok · Perth

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