A Scottish father arrested in Thailand over an alleged phone theft is waiting to learn whether he can return home, with a verdict expected in six weeks.
Rory McColl, 37, from Edinburgh, landed in Bangkok on March 9 for a holiday but was detained hours into his first night out. He was dancing alongside a young German backpacker in Golf Bar on Khao San Road when he lifted a mobile phone from a table belonging to German tourist Melina Muchow, 22, who soon realised her device was missing.
She identified Rory from CCTV footage taken in the bar and believed he had deliberately stolen the phone. Rory claims he mistook the device for his own and did not intend to steal it.
Arrest and Prosecution
After a security guard called police, it is alleged officers gave Rory the chance to apologise and leave, but he "began hurling abuse at the woman." Officers placed him in a cell, and Melina insisted on him being prosecuted.
By the time Rory had sobered up, the case had already been sent to prosecutors for a court hearing. If found guilty of the charge of 'theft at night', the father could face up to five years in prison.
Court Hearing Offers Hope
However, a court hearing on Thursday, October 29, has given his loved ones hope that he may be able to return home. Rory's family told BBC Scotland that during a hearing before four judges in Bangkok, two Thai police officers testified that the incident was a "misunderstanding" and no one else, including the alleged victim, suggested otherwise.
A verdict in the case is due on December 9, while Rory remains on bail, waiting to hear if he will be able to get back to Scotland. His passport has been confiscated as part of his bail conditions, meaning he cannot yet leave the country. The Scot, who has a 12-year-old son at home, had previously been living out of a hotel in Pattaya, a nearby coastal town, for seven weeks after his arrest.
CCTV Evidence and Officer's Account
CCTV taken from the bar showed Rory reaching forward and taking the phone from the table before putting it in his back pocket. A security guard can be seen searching Rory before pulling the mobile phone out of his pocket.
Speaking at the end of April, the investigating officer, Lieutenant Noppasin Piyarat, said he "attempted mediation and advised the suspect to apologise" as that's "all the victim wanted" and "would have solved the situation."
He went on: "But he instead verbally abused the victim and her two friends... then, the victim insisted on pursuing legal action. I wanted to resolve the incident that night and informed the victim that proceeding with a complaint would require additional time at the police station, but they maintained their decision to proceed."
Speaking after his arrest, Rory said: "I wasn't drunk and stupid, but I'd had a few drinks. I just honestly thought it was my phone. The security guard phoned the police, who came down straight away."
"They looked at the CCTV and then no questions asked I was taken away and in the cells. I was there for two days. It was the worst conditions I have ever been in. It's just all a bit crazy. My son knows the story and knows it was a misunderstanding."
