Sean McAnna, 25, a friend of murdered David Miller insists local gangsters want him dead for speaking out about the killings
A terrified British man today fled the paradise island where two backpackers were murdered a week ago, fearing he would be killed by gangsters.
Sean McAnna, 25, a friend of murdered David Miller who died alongside girlfriend Hannah Witheridge, insisted “Thai mafia” on Koh Tao wanted him dead.
The busker – dubbed “Guitarman’ – said he was chased by two men from a bar at 3.55am today.
He ended up hiding behind the counter of a 24/7 convenience store, fearing the pair wanted to kill him.
He took photos and posted this 4am Facebook plea: “Thai mafia are trying to kill me. Please help me.”
He went on to make a series of desperate phone calls to friends on the island, the police and relatives in Scotland convinced he would die.
After being saved by police who arrived on the scene he was then escorted to his cheap hotel room.
But he felt so unsafe he walked up into the hills and slept “rough in the jungle”.
Eventually he got off the island by getting the 3pm ferry to Koh Samui.
Sean has has been formally cleared by police.
But he has angered locals by talking openly about the crime.
And this exploded into a vicious row today.
Coming out of hiding to speak to the Mirror he revealed the local Thai men snarled at him: “You will die tonight.”
He said they told him: “It was you who killed them. You’ve got two people’s deaths on your hands.
“We know it was you. You’re going to hang yourself tonight and we are going to watch you hang.
“They wouldn’t have shot me - they would have taken me up into the hills to hang me and make it look like it was a suicide.
“So I just ran. I just left and ran.
“I think they needed a scapegoat. I think they might know who it was.”
We watched as petrified Sean spent the morning in hiding on this tiny island.
With blood, from a recent accident, still on his guitar he packed up the stuff he could carry in his black rucksack.
He was smuggled onboard the 3pm ferry to nearby Koh Samui from the island.
From there he planned to fly 350 miles to the capital Bangkok.
Sean, a bar-tender and busker from Shotts, Lanarkshire, made his money singing covers from Pink Floyd, The Beatles and the Arctic Monkeys.
He had been due to meet David on the very night he was bludgeoned to death with Hannah Witheridge, 23.
Police were aware of this and spoke to him.
He gave interviews to British press and TV and this made him unpopular in the bars on the island.
He described how he went into a local bar on Sunday night and got into a row with two powerful local Thai men.
He said: “The two men then chased me into a shop and I ran behind the counter.
“I took the phone from the girl working there and I went on my Facebook.
“I took pictures of the guys and uploaded them to say that if anything happens to me everybody knows who did it.
“They need a scapegoat. They want it to be locals.
“They want it to be a westerner.
“So if I kill myself here, if I hang myself here, then it is easy to say ‘see it was him’.
“I genuinely thought that was the day I was going to die.
“I genuinely thought that this was me dead - that I was gone. I phoned my mum, I phoned my sister.
“I basically wanted to say my goodbyes. I was so scared. I was so scared.
“I just didn’t want that to be it.”
Sean had been on the island since September 9.
He has been friends with David, 24, since they met in Leeds last year.
David was studying at Leeds University and they were friends on Facebook.
But he didn’t even realise he was on Koh Tao until he saw a Facebook posting.
They had arranged to meet on the night of the murders but Sean was hungover and didn’t get out of bed.
Hours after the murders Sean posted: “My mate Dave lost his life on koh Tao. We were meant to meet up when we found out we were both there at the same time but I fell asleep.
“He was killed that night. I feel f****** terrible.
“I loved you so f****** much brother. I know you tried to save her.
“You are the most honourable guy I’ve ever met. I will miss you terribly.
“I’m sorry I didn’t come out with you that night. Really my heart is breaking.”
He now thinks the killer will never be caught.
“Thai Police have no chance of solving this crime,” he said.
“The Metropolitan Police should have been involved as soon as possible.
“The forensic team did not arrive until 20 hours after the incident.”
Sean is now heading to Italy to see his girlfriend 22-year-old Francesca Mussi, 22.
He was last home at Christmas when he went to visit his mum Anne and sister Nicola in Shotts and other sister Deborah in Glasgow.
“I loved this island but I certainly won’t be coming back.”
Police tonight said they were planned to DNA test every male on the island.
A spokesman confirmed they had investigating Sean’s complaint of “intimidation” but were not planning to take it further.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/terrified-pal-murdered-brit-pair-4303495#ixzz3FF0ZT5VK
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