‘Son stepped in to help victim’

The father of a British man murdered in Thailand believes his son had stepped in to help his fellow victim when they were both brutally killed on an island.

Ian Miller said it was in 24-year-old David’s character to help, and claimed that was probably the circumstance when he and Hannah Witheridge were murdered in Koh Tao a week ago.

He told the Daily Mail: “It has become clearer and clearer that it is quite likely David was stepping in to help a girl who was in trouble. That would be absolutely in his character.”

Police colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen said: “There are more than two suspects. It is too early to say how many suspects we are looking at.”

The force said it is investigating new evidence suggesting the murders may have been due to “sexual jealousy”. A spokesman for Royal Thai Police said the force was also looking into claims the pair had a row with a Thai man in a bar before they were killed.

The police colonel said: “We have discovered fresh evidence which could lead to a new suspect who may have had a relationship or one-night stand with Hannah or one of her friends or David the night before they were killed.

“We have asked the Metropolitan Police to go back and make enquiries of Hannah’s friends on this matter.”

He added: “Police have been made aware of reports that Hannah and David had a fight in a bar with a Thai man before they were killed, but cannot confirm if they are true.”

Postmortem examinations revealed that Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, died from head wounds while Miller, from Jersey, was killed by severe blows to the head and drowning.