PHUKET: Lee Aldhouse told Phuket Provincial Court today that he had gone looking for his missing pet dog when he stabbed former Marine Dashawn Longfellow.
The long-awaited Phuket murder trial began with the judge reminding Aldhouse, 30, of the seriousness of the charge.
Late last year Aldhouse became the first person extradited from Britain to Thailand under a treaty that had been in place for 101 years.
When asked by the judge today whether he was confessing to the murder, Aldhouse at first responded: ''Yes, i did it.''
The judge pointed out that a guilty verdict could leave him in jail for many years, perhaps even for life.
''Did you murder Longfellow or not?'' the judge asked.
Aldhouse said he did not murder Longfellow and said he had followed his lawyer's advice in confessing.
''If you did not murder Dashawn Longfellow, why take the advice of your lawyer?'' the judge said.
Aldhouse was then given the opportinuty to tell his version of events.
He said that he had been drinking at the Freedom Bar in the southern Phuket district of Rawai on August 13, 2010, and was quite drunk.
He said that he had been attacked late in the evening by Longfellow and another man. Barefooted, he went to a nearby 7-Eleven to make sure he could properly defend himself if he was attacked again.
The staff of the 7-Eleven threw a couple of knives to him, Aldhouse said. Back at the Freedom Bar, there was no sign of Longfellow.
Aldhouse said he headed for home on his motorcycle, but when he arrived home, his pet dog was missing.
So he went looking for the dog, Aldhouse said. Soon after, at the Ya Nui Resort, he remembers being attacked and his shoulders were held from behind.
As he turned, the knife he was holding went into Longfellow. He did not know at that stage who he had been attacked by.
Aldhouse said he was shocked by what had happened. He fled Phuket and Thailand soon after, he said.
He could not remember a great deal about what had happened that night, he said.
Aldhouse, in prison garb and with his feet shackled, appeared agitated at times. He was remanded in custody.
The case against Aldhouse will continue at a date to be set.
The long-awaited Phuket murder trial began with the judge reminding Aldhouse, 30, of the seriousness of the charge.
Late last year Aldhouse became the first person extradited from Britain to Thailand under a treaty that had been in place for 101 years.
When asked by the judge today whether he was confessing to the murder, Aldhouse at first responded: ''Yes, i did it.''
The judge pointed out that a guilty verdict could leave him in jail for many years, perhaps even for life.
''Did you murder Longfellow or not?'' the judge asked.
Aldhouse said he did not murder Longfellow and said he had followed his lawyer's advice in confessing.
''If you did not murder Dashawn Longfellow, why take the advice of your lawyer?'' the judge said.
Aldhouse was then given the opportinuty to tell his version of events.
He said that he had been drinking at the Freedom Bar in the southern Phuket district of Rawai on August 13, 2010, and was quite drunk.
He said that he had been attacked late in the evening by Longfellow and another man. Barefooted, he went to a nearby 7-Eleven to make sure he could properly defend himself if he was attacked again.
The staff of the 7-Eleven threw a couple of knives to him, Aldhouse said. Back at the Freedom Bar, there was no sign of Longfellow.
Aldhouse said he headed for home on his motorcycle, but when he arrived home, his pet dog was missing.
So he went looking for the dog, Aldhouse said. Soon after, at the Ya Nui Resort, he remembers being attacked and his shoulders were held from behind.
As he turned, the knife he was holding went into Longfellow. He did not know at that stage who he had been attacked by.
Aldhouse said he was shocked by what had happened. He fled Phuket and Thailand soon after, he said.
He could not remember a great deal about what had happened that night, he said.
Aldhouse, in prison garb and with his feet shackled, appeared agitated at times. He was remanded in custody.
The case against Aldhouse will continue at a date to be set.
So, he grabs two knives for personal protection and then goes looking for his missing dog and ends up at Dashawn rented home?
Again innocent until the jury and judge say otherwise but the plausibility of this statement strikes me as a bit wild.
Posted by Graham on February 18, 2013 16:41