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Ronaldo
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Drug smuggler jailed in Thailand - A Sad day for a young man.
Michael Connell plans to appeal
A man from Greater Manchester who smuggled 3,400 ecstasy tablets into Thailand has been jailed for 99 years.
Michael Connell, 19, from Bury, escaped the death penalty at a Thai court on Wednesday, by pleading guilty.
Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok's international airport on 10 November 2003 with the pills hidden in facial cream jars.
Defence lawyer Prutti Kuranon said Connell planned to appeal against the life sentence.
Connell's father, Derek Connell said he was "absolutely devastated".
He said the family had hoped for a sentence of 25 years and planned to appeal against the 99-year life term.
He said: "We were told the 99 years would be reduced to 50, if he pleaded guilty and maybe to 25 because of his young age.
He was the perfect target for drug dealers who need someone to do their dirty work
Derek Connell
"But that didn't happen. He pleaded guilty and they hit him with the full 99 years.
"I'm absolutely devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there."
Mr Connell, a 48-year-old taxi driver, has visited his son once in Thailand, but was not present for the sentencing.
He said his son writes letters home which describe conditions at Khlong Prem Prison in Lard Yao, Bangkok, as "bad".
'Horrendous' conditions
He added: "When I visited the jail they take you to the bit they want you to see, which has plants and little ponds with koi carp in them.
"But everyone knows it is a different story in the actual jail.
"People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous."
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, believes his son smuggled the drugs to pay off a small debt.
X-ray scan
He said: "From what I can gather, he got into a bit of debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to pay it off.
"He was naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers who need someone to do their dirty work."
Customs officials found the ecstasy tablets in Connell's travel bag after they were detected by an X-ray scan at the airport.
The pills had a street value of $85,000 according to the Thai customs department.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:40 am on Mar. 24, 2004
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Triyclops
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Ok so if he was smuggling drugs to pay off a small debt then they should let him go right...
But if he was smuggling drugs and did not have any debts then he should go to prison right...
f_ck him let him rot..
TC
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 9:47 am on Mar. 24, 2004
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jaybee
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A little harsh, don't you think guys? I mean there are people in the west who would say you should rot in jail for 99 years for screwing go-go girls in thailand. It's not like he was putting heroin in little kids apple sauce. Most of the people who end up buying those pills are probably back-packers. Live and let live I say...
JB
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:09 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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Bedspring
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"Most of the people who end up buying those pills are probably back-packers. Live and let live I say..."
A little harsh ?.... What a crock of sh_t !
Hey stupid.... Kids have died from taking ecstasy.
People who smuggle drugs know the risks.
That's why they don't declare the goods to customs at the airport !
Let em rot in jail
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 3:48 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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invaderzim
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Brining drugs through an airport?
he should get the death penalty, for stupidity, not drugs
I bet if his dad lines the pockets of the right government official he might be able to pull an OJ
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 3:59 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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jaybee
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I agree if they gave out jail time for stupidity this kid should be locked up for a long time. I also agree people have died as a result of taking exctasy. However most all of those deaths were from either dehydration or taking to many pills laced with other garbage. Certainly far less people have died from taking those pills though than from alchohol.
Either way I think it is wrong and stupid to break the law, especially in another country.
That said I think you guys who say "let him rot" are pretty cruel. I am not on this board to debate drug policy or anything like that, but a little compassion for others can go a long way. As I said before, there are many who would be quick to judge us, and say we should rot for "taking advantage of poor, impovrished, thai girls". <- Thats not what I would say at all, but how others who didn't know better would react.
This kid did something very, very stupid. I still feel bad for him that he is now going to have sit in a thai jail for the rest of his life.
-JB
now back to talk about sex with twins... drugs bad, sex with sisters who will dyke it out (incest) great...
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:50 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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CafeDelMar
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The problem is not whether it is morally right or wrong. As a Frenchman, I come from a legacy of relativism, so nothing in my view is wrong.  The dope who said it kills people is probably the reason we have nanny states all over Europe. No one forces you to take Ex, you HAVE to buy it.
I really don't care if someone dies from taking Extacy. Ex does not kill people, misuse of it does, just like misuse of alcohol.
What the problem is is that it is a criminal offence to bring that substance into Thailand and any idiot would know the penalties (even from stupid hollywood films.)
Would you feel sad if he was given the death sentence in Saudi Arabia for smuggling alcohol. You would, but the Saudis (atleast the ones who think alcohol is evil) would not.
Do I think he deserves, well I'd hate to be him, but he took the risk and now is going to pay for it.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 6:17 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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Ronaldo
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I must admit to feeling sorry for him, but nevertheless he did commit a serious crime and I'm sure the court took in all the evidence (well maybe), in a savage period for drug suppression in Thailand and to a certain extent a court's hands are tied and no amount of leniency would apply.
I think the case hinged on the fact of 'intent' as he came from one country (UK), then Dubai (UAE) and onto Thailand and this may have been the deciding factor. No amount of excuse would detract from this single fact.
Clearly crime does not pay as his 99 year sentence works out at 858.59 USD per year based on the cash value of the drugs provided by Thai customs.
As the report said a sad day for a young man.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:36 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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ringthebells
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I agree he deserves a year or two in the slammer. but hey, he'll be 118 years old by the time he gets out.
but he will be pardoned and extradicted to england, me thinks.
people die in cars, are you going to arrest the car salesmen??
rtb
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 10:52 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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Vancouver Jay
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I strongly doubt he will be pardoned. More likely he'll do a few years in the pen in Thailand and then get shipped back to a British prison on a reciprocal prisoner exchange.
He either undertook a criminal act without understanding the risks and possible consequences or he did the math, took the odds and lost.
He deserves a measure of compassion, sure, but tempered with about 100 measures of contempt for his stupidity.
I feel sorry only for his parents who will now torture themselves for the rest of their lives wondering what they did wrong.
Hard times. Hard times.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 11:39 pm on Mar. 24, 2004
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