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A man from Edinburgh is currently facing the possibility of imprisonment in Thailand after he allegedly took a woman’s mobile phone “by mistake” during his first night in the country. Rory McColl, 37, had just begun a 12-day backpacking trip when the incident occurred. He arrived in Bangkok on 9 March and went out for drinks that evening, which led to his arrest.
According to Rory’s parents, Helen and John McColl, the situation escalated quickly after bar staff contacted the police. Rory was detained and spent two nights in a cell made of concrete, sleeping on the floor with only a plastic water bottle for a pillow. Following his release on bail, his passport was confiscated, preventing him from leaving Thailand. For over seven weeks, Rory has been staying in a hotel in Pattaya, a beach resort situated about 90 miles southeast of Bangkok. A court hearing that will determine his case is scheduled for 28 April.
Rory’s parents have expressed deep concern over their son’s predicament and have been maintaining daily contact with him through FaceTime. Helen described the traumatic experience: “It all happened so quickly – before Rory knew it the police were there. Then he was cuffed and taken to the cells. He was there for two nights – he told us it was horrendous.” After a long flight from Scotland to Thailand, Rory had been out on Khao San Road, a well-known nightlife area, when he noticed he had lost his phone. He then mistakenly took a phone identical to his from the bar, unaware it belonged to another person.
Rory has told his family he explained the situation to the police and was in contact with the woman whose phone he took. The BBC has reviewed email exchanges that seem to support his account, although their authenticity has not been independently confirmed. However, the woman has since stopped replying to his messages. Despite this, local police are proceeding with the theft charges. Rory says he paid £1,000 in bail and had his passport confiscated before being allowed back to his hotel.
While in detention, Rory was approached by a man claiming to be a lawyer who offered to represent him in court. Rory paid this individual twice, but his family became suspicious of the man’s intentions. Helen stated, “Rory told us this man stood by him in court and told him he would help to get him back to his son but that never happened.” According to Rory, the so-called lawyer advised him to attend court only to be sent away repeatedly, warning that the judge would likely sentence him to prison. His current lawyer believes this was very likely a scam.
With the hearing date approaching, Rory’s parents remain uncertain about when he might return home. Helen expressed their ongoing worry: “We have no great confidence that things will be resolved now. It is just the unknown that is scary. We don’t know for certain what will happen now and that is what keeps us up at night.” John added, “It is incredible that Rory could go to jail on a charge where the injured party says she knows it is a misunderstanding – and does not want to press charges.”
Rory himself shared his current state, saying, “I don’t leave the hotel most days. Some days I try to go for a walk to get exercise. I just need to stay strong and keep putting a brave face on.” Thai authorities confirmed his arrest for theft by night related to the phone incident, stating the case now awaits prosecution. They denied there was any formal consideration of the event being a misunderstanding and mentioned that further details would be addressed in court.
Under Thai law, the charge carries a potential sentence ranging from one to five years in prison and a fine between £46 and £228. The UK Foreign Office has confirmed it is providing consular support to Rory and remains in contact with Thai officials regarding his case
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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