“Mick the Pom” jumps bail
PHUKET: When British murder suspect Michael John Taylor failed to make a scheduled court appearance yesterday, Phuket Provincial Court issued a warrant for his arrest and seized the land title document he posted as bail.
Taylor, aka “Mick the Pom”, is on trial for the August 17, 2005, stabbing murder of his 28-year-old live-in girlfriend Jantra Weangta. He was released on bail from Phuket Provincial Prison on March 7, when the Phuket Provincial Court accepted as bail a chanote land title deed valued at 400,000 baht.
It was not reported how Taylor came into possession of the chanote or to whom it is issued. Although land title deeds are commonly used by Thai nationals to secure bail release, it is illegal for one to be issued to a foreigner.
Taylor’s lawyer, Somsak “Sam” Chattay, told the Gazette that when he called his client on April 21 to remind him of the court appearance, Taylor said would attend.
The lawyer said he has since learned that Taylor visited Chalong Police Station on April 22 to report that a woman had stolen his mobile phone.
K. Somsak noted, however, that losing a mobile phone was not a valid excuse for failing to attend a court hearing.
“He knew what he needed to do and where he could contact me to ask the court to reschedule if necessary,” he said.
When asked if he thought his client was a flight risk, K. Somsak said it would be difficult for Taylor to leave the country without his passport, which is still being held at the Chalong Police Station.
Taylor will be arrested and put back in prison, his lawyer added, if he attends any of his upcoming court hearings, which are scheduled for June 29, June 30 and July 7.
