Thai beach deaths: British brothers questioned

In a sign that the Thai police are expanding the scope of their investigation into deaths of 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, two brothers from Manchester who were travelling with Mr Miller were stopped as they tried to pass through immigration at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday evening.

Police say they want to re-question Christopher and James Ware, in relation to the brutal murder of the two Britons on the popular Thai island of Koh Tao whose badly beaten bodies were found by a cleaner on an isolated stretch of beach on Monday morning.

The Ware brothers have not been charged in relation to the murders.

Read more: Thai beach deaths: police focus on Burmese community

Instead, we understand Thai detectives have asked for their continuing cooperation with the investigation. Officials from the British Embassy were also involved in discussions with the two brothers at Bangkok’s main airport last night.

A preliminary examination by Thai pathologists on the bodies of the two Britons has revealed new information about cause of Miller’s death.

Experts now believe that he was dragged into the water where he drowned. Some time earlier, Mr Miller and Ms Witheridge had sustained head wounds which were described by police as “gruesome”. In the case of Hannah Witheridge, experts think those wounds proved fatal.

Read more: Two Britons found dead on Thai island beach

Police are now collecting DNA evidence from a number different sources, including a blood stained t-shirt and trousers that were found inside Miller’s rucksack.

The rucksack, which included a number of the Briton’s personal effects, was provided to police by on the island by Chris Ware.

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