Thailand has conducted a preliminary investigation into allegations made by the sister of the murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge that court officials made insensitive remarks to her family during a year-long investigation and trial.
Laura Witheridge said in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday that court officials had asked her family: “Why are you so bothered? Just go home and make another one.” The post was later heavily edited and then removed following media interest.
The post also claimed that “the vast majority of the Thai police are corrupt” and suggested that her sister’s killer was still free.
A spokesperson for the court of justice said in a statement there was “deep concern” over allegations “implicating that inappropriate remarks were made on the death of Miss Hannah Witheridge by judges and court officials at the trial”.
“The office of the judiciary has promptly conducted a preliminary investigation,” the spokesperson said.
“Throughout the trial, neither complaint nor any improper conduct was brought up for an immediate action to be taken ... Moreover, all judges and court officials are consciously aware of the rights of the victim and her family afforded by law,” it said, adding that the Witheridges were entitled to submit a formal complaint.
Meanwhile, Thai media reported that the national police chief, Chakthip Chaijinda, had said the police’s legal and foreign affairs units were examining whether Laura Witheridge had broken any laws. Defamation in Thailand is a criminal offence.
Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, was found on Sairee beach on Koh Tao island alongside 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, in September 2014. Witheridge had been raped and bludgeoned to death and Miller had been attacked and left to drown in the surf, Thai police say.
The Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the crime on 24 December, a move widely condemned by human rights groups who said migrants in Thailand had been used as scapegoats for crimes in the past.
The pair initially confessed to the murder but later rescinded their statements, saying they had been tortured by police to admit to the attack.
Thai police, who deny any wrongdoing, were also accused by the defence team of mishandling crucial DNA evidence.
Laura Witheridge, who did not respond to requests for comment, said in her Facebook post that she had received death threats from people in Thailand. “They defaced photographs of me saying that the killers had only done ‘half the job’,” she said.
The Royal Thai police spokesperson Dejnarong Suthicharnbancha told the Guardian this week that Witheridge’s allegations of corruption were presented “without evidence and without fact. If there’s any corruption, it has to be seen on a case-by-case basis.”
But, he said, police would be willing to work with Witheridge if she wanted to take up the matter with authorities.
