PHUKET: A final decision on the extradition of Lee Aldhouse from Britain to face trial for a murder on Phuket is not expected before 2012, Phuketwan has been told by those closely connected with the case.

Much of the debate in a recent court hearing in Britain centred on the conditions that 28-year-old Aldhouse would have to tolerate in prison on Phuket or in Bangkok.

It is believed that extraditions from Britain to Thailand have been exceptional if at all in the past, and never for a capital crime.

With the one-year anniversary of the killing of 23-year-old former American marine DaShawn Longfellow coming next month, interest in the case is growing again, especially on Phuket and in Birmingham, where Aldhouse is from.

Aldhouse allegedly knifed Longfellow to death on August 14 in an ambush after the two men, both Thai boxing practitioners, fought at the Freedom Bar in Rawai, a popular destination in southern Phuket.

Dramatic security camera footage showed a man who looks like Aldhouse obtaining knives from a nearby 7-Eleven store before Longfellow was knifed to death at his apartment nearby.

Phuketwan understands that Mr Aldhouse's legal attempt to block the extradition is being handled by Charles Bott QC, whose legal team argued at Westminster Magistrates' Court that prison conditions in Thailand were inhumane.

One British newspaper, the People, began a report on the case: ''A kickboxer nicknamed The Pitbull is fighting extradition to Thailand to face trial for murder - because he thinks the jails are too tough.''

It is not known whether a murder trial would take place on Phuket or in Bangkok, home of the Bang Kwang Central Prison, known as the ''Bangkok Hilton.''

Once the court extradition decision on Mr Aldhouse is made, an appeal to Britain's Home Secretary, Theresa May, may follow. No further appeals would be possible.

It is believed that the prima facie case against Mr Aldhouse has been well-made and clearly creates grounds for extradition, but that concerns about prison conditions in Thailand may influence British judges or officials.

Phuketwan understands that Thai officials may even be prepared to house Mr Aldhouse in a special cell rather than have him share dormitory style accommodation - at least while he is presumed to be innocent.

The Birmingham Mail has reported a spokeswoman for Westminster Magistrates as saying: ''He was remanded in custody on June 30 and a decision has been sent to the Secretary of State.''

The newspaper added that a Home Office spokesman said the court found that there were no statutory grounds to bar the extradition.

Phuketwan has yet to hear back from the office of Mr Bott, QC, or the British Embassy in Bangkok about the matter.

For security camera footage of the alleged killer in a Phuket 7-Eleven store, brought to you by Phuketwan and CNN, go to:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/17/thailand.kickboxing.killer/?hpt=T2#fbid=j8b3WNTelG3&wom=false