CRIME
Royal slur gets Da Torpedo 18 years jail
- Published: 29/08/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The Criminal Court has sentenced Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul, better known as Da Torpedo, to 18 years in prison without probation for insulting the monarchy.
Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul, better known as Da Torpedo, has been sentenced to 18 years in jail for lese majeste in connection with speeches shemade at United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship rallies held at Sanam Luang last year. SURAPOL PROMSAKA NA SAKOL NAKORN
Daranee, a key speaker of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, was yesterday found guilty of lese majeste by the court in connection with speeches she made at UDD rallies at Sanam Luang on Jan 18, June 7 and June 13 last year.
The court said three undercover police officers from Chana Songkhram police station were present at the rallies and recorded Daranee's speeches, deemed offensive to the monarchy, as evidence.
The court said even though during the trial Daranee claimed she could not remember the details of her speeches or the dates and the times when she made them, she failed to come up with proof that she did not make the lese majeste speeches as charged.
Even though the lese majeste speeches had no consequences as it seemed the audience did not believe what she said, the defendant still could not be acquitted of the crime, the court said.
Prawes Prapanukul, her lawyer, said he would lodge an appeal and wait for the Supreme Court's final decision before considering filing a petition for a royal pardon for Daranee.
Daranee was arrested at her house in Chatuchak district in July last year after the Criminal Court issued a warrant for her arrest.
She has since been detained at the Central Women's Correctional Institute in Bangkok's Chatuchak district, where she is being considered for a volunteer job as an announcer at prison events.
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- Writer: POST REPORTERS
