Alan John Davies - Thailand

Last updated: 21 July 2011

British father released after 17 years in Thai prison

Alan John Davies was Britain’s longest overseas-serving prisoner enduring 17 years in a Thai prison, including 2 years on death row. He was charged in 1990 for possession and attempting to sell heroin to a police informer and was subsequently sentenced to death on 20 September 1994 after being found guilty in a marathon trial. His subsequent appeals were refused.

Fair Trials International expressed grave concerns about the multiple inconsistencies in Mr Davies’ 4 years trial including the lack of evidence, the omissions and mistakes made in petition applications and the conduct of a British Customs official, whose evidence played a large part in Mr Davies’ original death sentence. The official tried to persuade Mr Davies and his wife to pay a 2 million Thai Baht to bribe the police and avoid conviction, but they refused maintaining Mr Davies had committed no crime.

Mr Davies’ sentence was commuted to life imprisonment when the King issued a general Amnesty. Finally in October 2006, following years of pressure from Fair Trials International, the King’s general Amnesty meant Mr Davies’ sentence was reduced by 1/6 allowing him to be released in May 2007, at which time he returned to the UK.