TWO Burmese migrants accused of murdering an Essex University student a fellow backpacker in Thailand claim they were told they would “disappear” unless they confessed to the killings.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, a masters student living in Colchester, was found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15 last year. Her body was next to that of David Miller, 24, from Jersey.

Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo are on trial for murder after denying involvement.

Both defendants, aged 22, initially confessed to the killings but later retracted these statements, telling the court they had been tortured. Police have denied they tortured the accused.

Andy Hall, a British adviser to the defence team, has given evidence about the alleged torture to their trial in Koh Samui.

He said both men claimed they were subjected to mental and physical torture for up to eight hours after their arrests.

Mr Hall said: "They were told that if they did not confess they would simply disappear.

“They would be set on fire or their limbs would be cut off and sunk at sea so nobody would ever find them. The police told them ‘you have a choice, you can either die or confess and spend a few years in prison’.

“They were terrified and did not know what was going on.”

Post-mortem examinations showed the young backpackers, who had met on the island while staying at the same hotel, suffered severe head wounds and Miss Witheridge, from Norfolk, had been sexually assaulted.

Prosecutors say the DNA evidence links the two men to the killings.

However, the trial heard a garden hoe alleged to have been used in the killings carried the DNA of two men, but not the defendants.

The court is due to hear closing statements from the defence and prosecution on October 26, before delivering its verdict on December 24.