Burmese migrants found guilty of British backpacker murders

Two Burmese migrants have been found guilty and sentenced to death for the brutal murders of two British tourists in Thailand.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on 15th September last year.

At a court in Koh Samui, three judges found Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, also known as Win Zaw Htun, guilty of murder and ordered that they face the death penalty.

Mr Miller's father Ian, mother Sue and brother Michael arrived at court to hear the verdicts.

Michael Miller said outside court "the correct verdict" has been reached.

He added: "They raped to satisfy their selfish desires and murdered to cover up that fact. They have shown no remorse during the trial."

Mr Miller said Thai police had carried out a "methodical and thorough" investigation and "they respect this court and its decision completely".

The family of Hannah Witheridge said the last year had been an "unimaginably impossible time" and they need time to "digest the outcome of the trial" after two men were sentenced to death for murdering her and David Miller in Thailand.

Prosecutors said DNA evidence found on cigarette butts, a condom and the bodies linked the men, both from Myanmar, to the killings.

But lawyers representing the pair, both 22, said DNA samples from the alleged murder weapon - a garden hoe - did not match that of the two men.

The defence team said DNA evidence was mishandled by police and the defendants' confessions was a result of torture in the context of "systematic abuse" of migrants on Koh Tao.

Post-mortem examinations showed that both Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller had suffered severe head wounds.

Miss Witheridge had been raped while Mr Miller died after being hit over the head before drowning in the sea.

The pair met on Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel.