July 2016, Lance Whitmore gets 50 Years in Bangkok Hilton.
Englishman L. Whitmore failed in a bid to have his 50 year jail sentence for drug dealing reduced yesterday at the criminal court in Bangkok.
A 28 year old resident of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, England, received a 50 year prison sentence in July 2015 after pleading guilty to possessing hundreds of Ecstasy tablets. Whitmore, along with his 26 year old associate Jake Mastroianni from Melbourne, was apprehended in 2014 in Pattaya with a total of 261 tablets.
Mastroianni, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, was given two life sentences and was unsuccessful in his attempt to have his sentence reduced. Both individuals have decided not to pursue their appeals to the supreme court as doing so would impede their applications for transfer to prisons in the UK and Australia.
As per Thai law, Whitmore is required to serve a minimum of four years before being eligible to apply for repatriation to the UK, whereas Mastroianni must serve a minimum of 8 years due to the more severe sentence imposed under the International Transfer of Prisoners Scheme. At the time of this incident, both men had already served two years of their sentences.
The arrests occurred when he attempted to sell 200 ecstasy tablets to a British informant used by Thai authorities outside a supermarket in Pattaya. An additional 61 pills were discovered at Mastroianni's apartment, implicating him in the drug deal. Following his arrest, his family contended that he was emotionally devastated by the passing of his 25 year old girlfriend and had only been carrying the drugs for his friend. Whitmore had moved to Thailand more than five years prior to this incident and held a respectable position at a petroleum company after being discharged from the military due to a training accident.
A few months before being apprehended with the pills, his girlfriend tragically passed away from Meningitis. His family, who have been advocating for his return to the UK, asserted that he had never been involved in drug related activities before and attributed his behavior to overwhelming grief.
In hopes of receiving a reduced sentence for a crime that carries the possibility of capital punishment, he pleaded guilty. He will serve his sentence in the notorious Klong Prem prison in Bangkok, often referred to as the 'Bangkok Hilton.' The conditions in this facility are frequently described as inhumane, with cells designed for 20 prisoners housing up to 70 inmates.
There are no beds available, and prisoners are compelled to sleep on the hard concrete floors. The food provided by the prison is likened to rations from World War II prisoner of war camps. Drug abuse is prevalent among many inmates, and the prison faces significant challenges with regards to AIDS. Surviving 50 years in this environment will be an arduous task for him, if not impossible.
March 2019, Lance Whitmore set to return to UK.
The British citizen who was sentenced to 50 years in prison in Thailand for drug charges, is now set to be transferred back to the UK to complete the remaining portion of his sentence. After spending over four years incarcerated in Thailand, his application for transfer is in the final stages, paving the way for his return to the UK through the International Transfer of Prisoners Scheme.
Although there is a possibility that he may still need to serve up to 21 years in prison, his legal team has previously indicated that he could potentially be released in less than 10 years. If this proves accurate, he may have only a few more years left to serve, likely in better conditions.
Meanwhile, Jake Mastronianni, Lance's associate in the drug case, remains in a Thai prison serving two life sentences.
April 2020, back home; Lance Whitmore extradited to UK.
He has returned to England. The 32 year old individual has now been transferred to a correctional facility in England. Whitmore, originally from Bromsgrove, was flown out of Thailand and arrived at Wandsworth Prison. This transfer took place through the International Transfer of Prisoners Scheme.