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Briton arrested after Thai woman dies in balcony fall | Briton arrested after Thai woman dies in balcony fall |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A British national has been arrested in Thailand after the death of a woman who fell from a balcony. | A British national has been arrested in Thailand after the death of a woman who fell from a balcony. |
Reece Vella, 25, from Worcester, was arrested by Pattaya police on Monday. | |
He is being held on suspicion of causing death by negligence, overstaying his visa, and theft. | |
He is wanted in the UK on an outstanding bench warrant, and in 2012 was jailed for four years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court for rape and assault. | He is wanted in the UK on an outstanding bench warrant, and in 2012 was jailed for four years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court for rape and assault. |
Police say Mr Vella was arrested at a bar a short distance from the scene, and had the woman's phone. | Police say Mr Vella was arrested at a bar a short distance from the scene, and had the woman's phone. |
The woman has been identified by Thai media as Wannipa Chanhuaton, 26. She is said to have come from north-east Thailand and worked in a bar in Pattaya. | |
Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn from the force in Pattaya said police checked the property's closed-circuit TV footage and found Mr Vella and the woman entering the room together. He later left the building alone. | Lt Col Piyapong Ensarn from the force in Pattaya said police checked the property's closed-circuit TV footage and found Mr Vella and the woman entering the room together. He later left the building alone. |
"He said he fled because he was scared of the police because he was overstaying," Lt Col Piyapong said. | "He said he fled because he was scared of the police because he was overstaying," Lt Col Piyapong said. |
"But fearing of overstaying shouldn't have made him leave the woman like that, so we believed he was involved in her death." | "But fearing of overstaying shouldn't have made him leave the woman like that, so we believed he was involved in her death." |
Mr Vella is understood to have been on a tourist visa, but had been in the country for about two months. | |
Officers are now waiting on autopsy results for more information on the circumstances of the death. | |
Outstanding warrant | Outstanding warrant |
Pattaya police chief Col Apichai Krobpe said investigators were compiling evidence in the case and it may take up to a month if Mr Vella was to be formally charged in court. | |
Mr Vella previously served for one year and three months with the Royal Logistics Corp and was medically discharged in 2011. | Mr Vella previously served for one year and three months with the Royal Logistics Corp and was medically discharged in 2011. |
On 12 October 2017 he was due to appear at Worcester Crown Court accused of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, but he failed to turn up. | On 12 October 2017 he was due to appear at Worcester Crown Court accused of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine, but he failed to turn up. |
An outstanding bench warrant was issued and, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, it is still outstanding. | An outstanding bench warrant was issued and, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, it is still outstanding. |
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "Our staff have offered support to a British man following his arrest in Thailand, and are in contact with the Thai authorities." | A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "Our staff have offered support to a British man following his arrest in Thailand, and are in contact with the Thai authorities." |
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