Protester gets 40 months for running over police

Protester gets 40 months for running over police

Riot police disperse the PAD protesters during the crackdown in front of parliament on Oct 7, 2008. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Riot police disperse the PAD protesters during the crackdown in front of parliament on Oct 7, 2008. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The Supreme Court has handed down jail terms totalling three years and four months on a yellow-shirt protester who ran a pickup truck over policemen during a crackdown in 2008.

But since he has been detained two years and five months, he has served more than two thirds of the time and is now eligible for penalty suspension.

Seven years ago, public prosecutors accused Preecha Treecharoen, now 58, a People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protester, of attempting to kill officials on duty and of assembly of more than 10 people with the intent of using force.

On Oct 7, 2008, Preecha joined other PAD members in surrounding Parliament to prevent lawmakers from leaving and entering the building.

The demonstrators were trying to prevent then prime minister Somchai Wongsawat from delivering his policy statement to Parliament on that day so his government could not start work. By law, a government can start working only after the prime minister delivers a policy statement to both houses.

Police tried to disperse the protest but Preecha drove a Toyota pickup truck into them, hurting five officers. When they fell down, Preecha also backed the truck and tried to run over them.

The five injured policemen are Pol Sub Lt Kriengkrai Kingsamee, Pol Cpl Pongthai Chuachoomsuk, Pol L/C Peerachet Tarapanjasap, Pol Cpl Settawut Buathum and Pol Cpl Vutthichai Kampongsak.

The Court of First Instance sentenced Preecha to three years in jail for the attempted murder charge, suspended for two years because he had no criminal records. It dismissed the assembly charge because the prosecutors had failed to prove whom Preecha was collaborating with.

The Appeal Court later overruled the first court's ruling, finding him guilty of both charges. It sentenced Preecha to life in prison, commuted to a jail term of 33 years and 12 months because of his useful testimony.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said Preecha joined the rally and some of the demonstrators were armed. He was therefore guilty of assembly of more than 10 people.

But the court also thought some police officers acted provocatively during the crackdown and used excessive force as found by the National Human Rights Commission and a fact-finding panel set up to probe into the incident.

Besides, Preecha was badly hurt in the right eye socket, causing permanent blindness, and in the nose bridge. Whether the injuries were sustained before or during the attempted murder, they were regarded as the cause of his rage.

At the same time, the court found him guilty of attempted murder of officials on duty.

The Supreme Court therefore disagreed with the Appeal Court ruling and sentenced Preecha to four years in jail for attempting to kill officials on duty. The sentence was reduced by one third to two years and eight months.

He was also found guilty of assembly of more than 10 and sentenced to eight months in jail. He therefore has to serve three years and four months.

Preecha is now eligible for penalty suspension since he has already been detained two years and five months since the Appeal court gave him a 33-year jail term, said Rassamee Waiyanate, his lawyer.       

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