An Australian man accused of murdering a Thai teenager and hiding her body in a suitcase has indicated that he will plead guilty to concealing her body.
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he → accuse → body
Simon Peter Carman, 45, admitted to hiding the body of Tunchanok 'Cake' Donhomla when he faced a procedural hearing in Pattaya Provincial Court on Monday.
However, Carman remains adamant he did not murder the 17-year-old, claiming that he acted in self-defence and that he did not know the girl's real age.
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he → admit → age
Carman, a truck driver from Perth, pleaded guilty to hiding Tunchanok's naked body inside a black suitcase and leaving it by train tracks on the outskirts of coastal town of Pattaya on June 27.
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Carman → plead → June
The teen was captured on CCTV holding hands with Carman and entering the foyer of his condo two days prior.
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teen → capture → condo
An autopsy recently revealed that Tunchanok suffered a brain injury and signs consistent with suffocation.
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Tunchanok → reveal → suffocation
Carman was arrested at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport just moments before he was due to board a Jetstar flight home to Perth on the day the teen's body was found.
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body → arrest → day
He had initially pleaded not guilty to intentional murder, concealing a corpse, moving or destroying a corpse, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes.
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He → plead → purposes
The body of Thai teen Tunchanok 'Cake' Donhomla was found hidden in a suitcase by train tracks outside Pattaya
Australian Simon Peter Carman (centre) is accused of murdering the Thai teen in June
Carman appeared in court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to hiding Ms Donhomla's corpse.
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he → find → corpse
Pictured is the prison truck carrying Carman
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truck → picture → Carman
However, when advised by the judge on Monday that the evidence against him on hiding the victim's corpse was strong, but he could expect leniency if he confessed to that charge, Carman indicated that he would change his plea to guilty.
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he → advise → plea
Appearing barefoot with his ankles and wrists handcuffed, Carman told the court that he was forced to defend himself after Tunchanok held a knife to his neck.
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Tunchanok → appear → neck
He claimed that she suddenly died after he squeezed the teenager's jaw but not her neck.
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he → claim → jaw
Carman also used his court appearance to request he be released on bail, The West Australian reported.
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Australian → use → bail
He was told that his bid had already been rejected.
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bid → tell → ?
'I haven't done anything to deserve this,' Carman replied.
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Carman → do → this
'I am innocent and they cannot lock up an innocent man.'
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they → lock → man
The presiding judge urged Carman to plead guilty to murder so he could argue self defence.
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he → preside → defence
Carman (above) has repeatedly claimed Ms Donhomla died after attacking him with a knife
Ms
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Donhomla → claim → knife
Donhomla's (above) body was found hidden in a suitcase by a train track outside Pattaya
Carman previously claimed the teenager had followed him home but CCTV showed them holding hands (above) as they walked into his condo
'
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they → find → condo
Why should I plead guilty?
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I → plead → ?
I would be lying to myself and everyone,' Carman replied.
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Carman → lie → myself
The Australian was also asked in court about whether he would pay $70,000 in compensation to Tunchanok's family, as is common in Thai criminal cases.
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he → ask → cases
Carman said that he would not pay the family as he had done nothing wrong but would consider helping them if he was released on bail.
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he → say → bail
Tunchanok's grieving family confronted Carman in the courtroom before he could be led away, the ABC reported.
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ABC → grieve → courtroom
'Why did you kill her?' her cousin Khanitta Nongkhampoon asked.
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cousin → kill → her
Carman replied: 'I didn't kill Cake.'
'She's responsible for her own death.
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She → reply → death
She had a knife to my throat.
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She → have → throat
'I don't feel guilty because I haven't done anything wrong.'
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I → feel → anything
The teen's naked body was found inside a black suitcase dumped near railway tracks outside Pattaya on June 27 - two days after she was last seen
Tunchanok's family on Friday filed a separate civil lawsuit against him and are seeking more than $51,000 in compensation.
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family → find → compensation
The family were appointed a government lawyer to help them as the civil and criminal cases run concurrently, with Carman only required to pay if found guilty.
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Carman → appoint → them
Carman's trial is expected to run for several months.
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trial → expect → months
If found guilty of murder, he faces life imprisonment or the death penalty in Thailand
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he → find → Thailand
READ MORE: Inside the 'hellhole' Thai jail cell where accused Aussie killer Simon Carman is being held
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Carman → read → hellhole
The Aporia
