Accused WA killer Simon Carman has told the family of a murdered Thai teenager that she was responsible for her own death, defiantly declaring he had done nothing wrong.
The 45-year-old erupted into a heated courtroom exchange with relatives of Tunchanok Donhomla, known as Cake, who was found stuffed inside a suitcase dumped beside railway tracks near the Thai resort city of Pattaya in June.
“Why did you kill her?” the 17-year-old’s cousin Khanitta Nongkhampoon, 37, asked Mr Carman at Pattaya Provincial Court.
He replied: “I didn’t kill Cake. She’s responsible for her own death.
“She had a knife to my throat. I don’t feel guilty because I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Mr Carman, originally from Ballarat in Victoria, has pleaded guilty to concealing the teenager’s body but continues to deny murdering her.
He has claimed Cake followed him home after they met in Pattaya and that he did not know she was underage.
Mr Carman alleges that he paid her 500 baht ($21) before she demanded more money and threatened him with a knife.
He denies strangling the teenager, claiming he squeezed her jaw during a struggle.
The Australian has refused to plead guilty to murder, despite being told by the judge he could admit killing Cake while arguing he acted in self-defence.
“Why should I plead guilty? I would be lying to myself and everyone,” he told the court.
Mr Carman was initially charged with four offences — intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse and abducting a minor for indecent purposes.
He initially denied all charges before changing his plea to concealing a corpse after the judge cited CCTV footage allegedly showing him carrying a suitcase from his accommodation.
Police allege that he later strapped the suitcase to a moped and rode away.
Cake’s body was discovered near railway tracks.
An autopsy found the teenager suffered a brain injury and died from suffocation, according to Pattaya City Police. Authorities said she had no other injuries.
Police also collected Mr Carman’s DNA and matched it to DNA found on Cake’s body, Colonel Anek Srathongyoo said.
Mr Carman was detained in June after attempting to leave Thailand on a flight to Perth.
He has also asked for bail but was reminded his previous application had been rejected.
“I haven’t done anything to deserve this,” he said.
When asked whether he would pay about $70,000 in compensation to Cake’s family, Mr Carman said that he did not need to because he had done nothing wrong, although he suggested he might provide some help if released.
The family has said that Mr Carman’s refusal to admit murder is important because a confession could reduce the maximum penalty available under Thai law.
“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,” Cake’s aunt Miruntree Thanachai said.
“The harm he caused us was truly devastating.”
Ms Thanachai also questioned Mr Carman’s claim that he had acted in self-defence.
“If it wasn’t intentional, then why was she (allegedly) beaten so severely that her face is unrecognisable and badly bruised?” she said.
Cake, an only child, had travelled to Pattaya on June 16 after telling her parents she wanted to take a holiday with a friend.
A 19-year-old male friend later reported her missing, telling police he had seen her leave Jomtien Beach with Mr Carman about 3.30am on June 25.
The trial is expected to continue for several months.