An Australian man charged over the death of a 17-year-old girl in Thailand has pleaded guilty to concealing her body, but maintains he is innocent of murder.
Simon Peter Carman, 45, is accused of killing Tunchanok Donhomla in Thailand in June, hiding her body inside a suitcase, and dumping it beside railway tracks just outside the coastal resort city of Pattaya.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Australian man pleads not guilty to Thai murder
Authorities charged him with four offences, including murder, and concealing a corpse.
Carman had initially pleaded not guilty to all charges but on Monday changed his mind and admitted concealing Donhomla’s body.
In Pattaya Provincial Court, Carman claimed that the teen put a knife to his neck, so he had to defend himself.
He claims he squeezed her jaw, not her neck, but she died anyway.
Asking for bail, he was reminded that had already been rejected, to which he said: “I haven’t done anything to deserve this.”
When asked if he would pay about $70,000 in compensation to the Donhomla family — a common practice in Thai criminal cases — the Australian said he does not need to because he did nothing wrong.
He said he may provide some help if he is released.
Teen’s family ‘grateful’ for not guilty plea
Donhomla’s family says it is a good thing he pleaded not guilty to murder because under Thai law a confession could see him spared the maximum penalty — death by lethal injection.
“We are grateful that he has denied the charges and hope he continues to do so, as we want him to face the harshest possible punishment,” Donhomla’s aunty Miruntree Thanachai said.
“The harm he caused us was truly devastating.”
Thanachai added: “If it wasn’t intentional, then why was she (allegedly) beaten so severely that her face is unrecognisable and badly bruised?”
Carman allegedly met Donhomla, known locally as “Cake”, in Pattaya, about two hours south of Bangkok, in June.
CCTV footage allegedly showed the pair holding hands as they entered his apartment.
Police said Carman was later seen wheeling a large suitcase out of the building before strapping it to the back of a moped and riding away.
The teen’s body was found stuffed in a suitcase and dumped near train tracks.
Pattaya City Police said autopsy results showed Donhomla suffered a brain injury and died of suffocation.
Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s main international airport, allegedly trying to board a Jetstar flight to Perth, before being charged.
The trial is expected to run for several months.