Thai Police Question Brothers Over Beach Murders

Two British brothers are being questioned over the murders of two backpackers in Thailand as tests revealed more about how the victims died.

Chris Ware and his brother James, from Jersey, have been asked to remain in Thailand as experts wait for the results of DNA tests.

The semi-naked bodies of David Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge were discovered on a beach on the island of Koh Tao on Monday.

According to reports, Chris and James Ware shared a room with Mr Miller, who also came from Jersey.

A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police said 11 Burmese migrants have been questioned over the deaths, after blood stains were found on some of their clothes.

Police Colonel Kissana said: "We also have two British suspects but they have not been detained. We cannot rule them out. They were close friends and knew all about the victims."

Mr Kissana added that police had discovered forensic evidence suggesting Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, might have been raped.

Officers are also looking at the possibility that the two victims were having sex on the beach shortly before their deaths, considered a taboo in the deeply religious country, he said.

It has been revealed Mr Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge died from head wounds.

Pornchai Sutheerakune, head of the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine, said Mr Miller also had wounds on his hand, indicating a struggle had taken place.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao, said Chris Ware has been spoken to by police after he booked into a hotel at Bangkok airport.

It is the second time he has been questioned. He was initially quizzed in the hours after the murders by officers concerned about an injury to his arm.

Samuels said James Ware had also spoken to police.

The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were discovered early on Monday morning. A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

More than 70 Thai police have been questioning migrant workers and tourists on the island, visiting hotels, bars, homes and businesses in the search for the killer.

Police say they are keen to trace an Asian man captured on grainy CCTV footage near the scene of the murders.

He is seen running past the security camera at 3.44am and is seen again an hour later walking down the same street.

In another image, Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge are shown walking hand-in-hand after leaving a bar at around 1am. It was taken hours before they were found dead on Sairee beach.

Sky's Tom Parmenter, on Jersey, says police there are assisting the mother of Chris and James Ware.

He said officers are working to ensure Barbara Ware is kept up to date with investigation, but she did not want to comment at this stage.

Parmenter said someone claiming to be a friend of the Ware brothers had written about them on a Thai travel message board.

"I grew up with Chris and Dave and know them both very well, and I'm totally shocked to what has happened," the post read.

"He (Chris) has known Dave since 4 years old at primary school in Jersey, they are like brothers."