PHUKET: The complicated world of alleged body-in-the-bin murder victim Rungnapa ''June'' Ratchasombut today exposed a bigamous marriage in a surprise-filled hearing at Phuket Provincial Court.
Norwegian Stein Havard Dokset, June's lover and the man accused of killing her and hiding her body in a rubbish bin, appeared in prison garb and shackles in the case brought by June's first husband, Panu Patrat.
He was seeking control of the large house where June's body was found in a bin three years after her disappearance, a house she once shared with Dokset.
Panu and June had two children and June sued for divorce but Panu did not sign off on the arrangement.
So when she met and lived with Dokset and helped him run a property business, she was still married. And when she left Dokset and married a Patong policeman, having a third child, the first marriage was still valid, Phuket Court heard today.
First husband Panu was pursuing a civil judgement against Dokset for ownership of the home in which June's body was found earlier this year, three years after she disappeared at the age of 30.
Dokset, charged with her murder, went through a reenactment of June's death, which he claimed was accidental. Fearing repercussions, he stored her body in a bin at the large Kata home the couple had shared.
When the murder case reached Phuket Provincial Court in July, he denied everything and even rejected the prosecutor's claim that DNA evidence had proved the body in the bin belonged to June.
With the murder charge having to be prepared and put in greater detail now, today's case produce a surprise outcome.
Dokset and June's first husband mediated a settlement that means the house - labelled the 'House of Horror' by both of Phuket's tabloid newspapers - will be sold. The money, likely to be about 20 million baht, will be split between Panu and Dokset.
The share that goes to Panu will be further split between the two children he and June shared and June's third child, the offspring from her bigamous marriage to the policeman.
The house had been in June's name and her first son's name.
The court heard there was a bond between Panu and Dokset because Dokset paid for good schools for June's children. Panu's mother said the family appreciated Dokset's many kindnesses towards June's children.
It is believed that Dokset and June continued to run their property business together after she met and married the policeman, but Dokset and June argued after he made it plain that he wanted her to return to live with him. Three years on, having retained the secret of her whereabouts, he told police her death was accidental.
Police charged Dokset with murder. He has been in Phuket Prison awaiting trial since. Because of the detail that now needs to be prepared following his not guilty plea, the trial in unlikely to proceed until next year.
Phuketwan was able to fire a couple of questions at Dokset in Phuket Provincial Court today before he was escorted away:
Q How are you?
A Not very well. It's crowded in jail.
Q Have you tried to get bail? How much is it?
A Three million baht.
He added that his family in Norway was in touch from time to time. With that, Dokset was gone.
Norwegian Stein Havard Dokset, June's lover and the man accused of killing her and hiding her body in a rubbish bin, appeared in prison garb and shackles in the case brought by June's first husband, Panu Patrat.
He was seeking control of the large house where June's body was found in a bin three years after her disappearance, a house she once shared with Dokset.
Panu and June had two children and June sued for divorce but Panu did not sign off on the arrangement.
So when she met and lived with Dokset and helped him run a property business, she was still married. And when she left Dokset and married a Patong policeman, having a third child, the first marriage was still valid, Phuket Court heard today.
First husband Panu was pursuing a civil judgement against Dokset for ownership of the home in which June's body was found earlier this year, three years after she disappeared at the age of 30.
Dokset, charged with her murder, went through a reenactment of June's death, which he claimed was accidental. Fearing repercussions, he stored her body in a bin at the large Kata home the couple had shared.
When the murder case reached Phuket Provincial Court in July, he denied everything and even rejected the prosecutor's claim that DNA evidence had proved the body in the bin belonged to June.
With the murder charge having to be prepared and put in greater detail now, today's case produce a surprise outcome.
Dokset and June's first husband mediated a settlement that means the house - labelled the 'House of Horror' by both of Phuket's tabloid newspapers - will be sold. The money, likely to be about 20 million baht, will be split between Panu and Dokset.
The share that goes to Panu will be further split between the two children he and June shared and June's third child, the offspring from her bigamous marriage to the policeman.
The house had been in June's name and her first son's name.
The court heard there was a bond between Panu and Dokset because Dokset paid for good schools for June's children. Panu's mother said the family appreciated Dokset's many kindnesses towards June's children.
It is believed that Dokset and June continued to run their property business together after she met and married the policeman, but Dokset and June argued after he made it plain that he wanted her to return to live with him. Three years on, having retained the secret of her whereabouts, he told police her death was accidental.
Police charged Dokset with murder. He has been in Phuket Prison awaiting trial since. Because of the detail that now needs to be prepared following his not guilty plea, the trial in unlikely to proceed until next year.
Phuketwan was able to fire a couple of questions at Dokset in Phuket Provincial Court today before he was escorted away:
Q How are you?
A Not very well. It's crowded in jail.
Q Have you tried to get bail? How much is it?
A Three million baht.
He added that his family in Norway was in touch from time to time. With that, Dokset was gone.
Ka-ching !
You never really lose a Thai girlfriend, you just lose your place in the queue.
QED
Posted by Andrew on September 10, 2012 21:26