Ex-British soldier is seen fleeing the scene in a change of clothes in new CCTV footage after prostitute fell from balcony during 'strange, extravagant sex' in Thailand
CCTV images showing a former British Army soldier fleeing his apartment in a fresh change of clothes after a Thai prostitute fell to her death from his balcony during 'extravagant sex' have emerged.
Waitress Wannipa Janhuathon, 26, had been working at a bar in party city Pattaya, Thailand, for several months while helping to support her family.
She was found dead at 5.30am on Saturday morning after falling from a fifth floor balcony, having last been seen with ex-squaddie Reece Vella, 25, from Birmingham.
Now previously unseen CCTV stills have been released showing Reece and Wannipa holding hands as they enter his apartment building at 3.11am.
He can then be seen fleeing his rented room some time later in what appears to be a different T-shirt and pair of shorts.
Reece Vella, 25, and Wannipa Janhuathon, 26, can be seen arriving at his rented room at 3.11am before leaving in what appears to be a different-coloured T-shirt
Previously unseen CCTV stills have been released showing Reece and Wannipa holding hands as they enter his apartment building at 3.11am
Mr Vella can then be seen leaving his rented room in what appears to be a different T-shirt
Surveillance images released yesterday show the pair walking next to each other before arriving at the Cosy Beach View condominium at 3.13am - some two hours and 15 minutes before she mysteriously fell to her death
Vella was jailed for four years and nine months after he admitted common assault and rape in Worcester, having punched a woman twice in the face and hit her with a bin lid. Pictured: Vella on Christmas Day in Pattaya
Wannipa, in black shorts and white top, is seen standing, bent forward slightly, in a lift looking up at the number display as Vella. wearing a black shirt, army pattern shorts and trainers, stands behind her
Pictured left: Thai bar girl Wannipa Janhuathon just weeks before plunging to her death. Right: Arrested British tourist Reece Vella served as a private in the Royal Logistics Corps, headquartered at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey, until he left nearly five years ago
British tourist Reece Vella, 25, is interviewed by Thai police today after being arrested over Wannipa's death
Other heartbreaking pictures show Wannipa just weeks before plunging to her death - shopping, posing in make-up and fooling around with friends.
Pictures of Vella partying on Christmas Day at the 69ers bar in Pattaya have also emerged.
Devastated friends led tributes to the petite bar girl - nicknamed Joy - as CCTV images emerged of her final moments - walking next to Vella, towering over her tiny frame after paying around 1,500 baht (£34) to have sex with her for the night.
Surveillance images show the pair walking next to each other before arriving at the Cosy Beach View condominium at 3.13am - some two hours and 15 minutes before she mysteriously fell to her death.
Wannipa, in black shorts and white top, is seen standing, bent forward slightly, in a lift looking up at the number display as Vella. wearing a black shirt, army pattern shorts and trainers, stands behind her.
Hours later she was dead, having suffered severe head injuries after falling alongside a packet of sex drugs while Vella fled on a motorbike allegedly with her phone.
Police are still investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the fall, with Vella - who had been staying illegally in the country on an expired visa - facing up to ten years in prison or a fine of 200,000 baht (£4,580) on a charge of causing death by negligent or reckless behaviour.
Police claim that the reckless and negligent behaviour was the sex on the balcony that directly caused her death.
Wannipa (left) on December 28 with bar owner Gaz Hart (right) and friend James Potterton. Hart, boss of the Sky Bar on the city's Soi 6, said all the staff had been devastated by the loss as Wannipa 'was part of the family'
Hart added: 'I keep trying to remember this happy girl. Her smile and attitude always made me happy even when I 'yak yakked' at her'. Left and right: Wannipa in October
Wannipa (right) joking with friends in late October, just months before she fell to her death
Officers also claim that Vella had used a motorbike as a getaway vehicle having fled the room in panic and that he had been staying in the country illegally for 59 days after his visa had expired.
He was arrested on Sunday afternoon at 4pm at a nearby bar and admitted having sex with with Wannipa in the bedroom and on the balcony. But Vella denies that he was having sex on the balcony when the girl fell.
A police source close to the investigation said yesterday: 'The area that's being investigated more is what happened that caused Wannipa to fall.
'Was she alone or was she having sex at that moment. We think that this kinky sex on the balcony caused her to fall. This is what we are trying to build the evidence to prove. The suspect then ran away.'
As officers continued to question Vella while gathering evidence, heartbroken friends paid tribute to Joy who was 'the sweetest angel who was always smiling'.
Vella has been arrested after a prostitute fell five floors to her death as they had 'very strange, extravagant sex' on a balcony at a Thai hotel
Video of Wannipa shows her playfully dancing, hiding in the supermarket and pouting as she puts on make-up. While at work with friends she poses in Halloween costume and cheekily slaps her friend's bottom while they go out shopping together.
Tmod Om, 18, said: 'Joy was my best friend. We had so many good times together. So many memories. She was so happy, so lovely, such a beautiful, fun, person.
'It hurts so much. I miss her so badly. I just can't accept it and I want her back so much. I wish that right now she can know how much we love her and miss her.'
Gaz Hart, boss of the Sky Bar on the city's Soi 6, said all the staff had been devastated by the loss as Wannipa 'was part of the family'.
He said: 'I keep trying to remember this happy girl. Her smile and attitude always made me happy even when I 'yak yakked' at her.
'I just couldnt be angry with her even when I wanted to be. I had to try my best not to laugh and be serious but she could see I was holding my smile back so hard and it made her laugh more.
'My last memory of her is her running over to me laughing, giving me one of the 20 big Joy hugs she gave me every day and yelling 'Gazzzzzzz what youuuu doooooo!'
'And showing me a picture of her I posted that she didn't like while laughing her head off. Myself and the Sky Bar family will truly miss her. And it wont be the same without her here.
'I cant imagine how her family are feeling right now. A beautiful happy young girl's life taken too soon.'
Reece's family, meanwhile, said they were 'extremely upset' following his arrest in Thailand, saying he had left Britain months earlier after suffering from PTSD.
The family were concerned for his health, revealing the 25-year-old had not had anything to eat or drink since he was taken into custody.
The former soldier, who followed his two older brothers into the military, quit the army after suffering from PTSD.
Vella served for one year and three months as a private in the Royal Logistics Corps, headquartered at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey, and was medically discharged in 2011. During his service, his brother Andrayoss claimed he was one of the top 100 shots in the British Army.
Andrayoss said after leaving the army, he suffered with depression and 'fell into the wrong crowd', serving a stint in prison.
Vella, from Birmingham, West Midlands, was arrested yesterday (pictured) afternoon at the nearby Route CC Roadhouse bar. The former soldier, who followed his two older brothers into the military, quit the army after suffering from PTSD
But it has transpired this stretch was for the rape of a teenage girl he was convicted of in 2012.
Vella was jailed for four years and nine months after he admitted common assault and rape in Worcester, having punched her twice in the face and hit her with a bin lid.
He has also appeared at Worcester Crown Court accused of two counts of being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine.
He was due to appear on October 12 last year - but he failed to turn up.
An outstanding bench warrant for his arrest was issued and, according to the Crown Prosecution Service, it is still outstanding.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: 'Our staff have offered support to a British man following his arrest in Thailand, and are in contact with the Thai authorities.'
Reece was briefly allowed to make contact with his family yesterday and, according to Andrayoss, said he was being asked for £12,000 to ensure he is given food and water.
Reece also claimed he did not steal a motorcycle, as the police said, but that he had hired it and was due to return it on the day he was arrested.
Andrayoss said: 'I was able to speak to him very briefly. He obviously very stressed. The authorities are going to transfer him to the city's main jail soon.
'When you are in the military you have a family around you to support you, and when he left he fell into the wrong crowd. He was exploited really.'
He also said his brother had struggled with drugs in the past and had served a stint in prison.
'But he had turned his life around,' he added. 'He was going to Thailand to make a fresh start.'
The prostitute suffered severe head injuries and multiple fractures after falling naked along with a half-empty packet of sex drugs from an apartment in the notorious tourist resort.
In custody: Vella, 25, is interviewed by Pattaya Police Chief Apichai Krobpetch, far right, after the incident on Saturday morning
Police searched the empty room - finding clothes and used condoms - then began a manhunt for the Briton amid suspicions that he had fled the scene.
Vella, from Birmingham, West Midlands, was arrested yesterday afternoon at the nearby Route CC Roadhouse bar and was filmed in possession of two mobile phones - one of which police claim was Wannipa's handset.
He moved from the semi-detached family home in Worcester to Thailand to start a new life four months ago.
Vella's brother Andrayoss said his family had been devastated by the news and were sure he was innocent.
'We are in pieces. Extremely upset. My gran is terrified, mum has been crying and dad can't bring himself to talk about it.
'He was in the military for a while. All three of us were. He did service for his country.
The bar girl, also known by the nickname Joy (pictured), had moved from her home town in Sakon Nakhon province, and was working at Sky Bar in the city's bustling Soi 6 street which is lined with hundreds of prostitutes working in bars and massage parlours
'When he left he had some mental health issues and so he fell in with the wrong crowd here in England. He got into a bit of trouble.
'He didn't have anything to do and people were talking in his ear when he was just sat around.
'Reece decided to move to Thailand to start a new life. He's not a bad character, he just made some mistakes.
'He was a great, loving guy to have around in our family. We are very close and he would take my son to play in the park.
'He wanted to get away from here. He was going to train in Muay Thai and sort his head out.
Reece flew to Thailand for a new start four months ago, they said. His family rarely heard from him.
'It was a horrible shock when we were told he had been arrested.
'It was an accident. We know it was. People said he ran away after the crime but we don't know anything about that.
'We feel really sorry for the girl and her family. What has happened is horrible.
'What we are going through is horrible too. We face losing Reece. That's something that could happen.
'We haven't been able to speak to him yet, but we have been told he has not had any food or water since he was arrested. He is starving and we have been asked for money to make sure he is fed. It's awful.'
In footage from the arrest, the tourist - who arrived in Thailand between three and four months ago - is heard asking to be un-cuffed before laughing as he says: 'Can I have a cigarette now?'.
The prostitute suffered severe head injuries and multiple fractures after falling naked along with a half-empty packet of sex drugs from an apartment in the notorious tourist resort. Paramedics arrived and performed CPR on Wannipa - who was still alive - but she was later pronounced dead in hospital
In footage from the arrest, the tourist - who arrived in Thailand between three and four months ago - is heard asking to be un-cuffed before laughing as he says: 'Can I have a cigarette now?'
He later admitted to police that he had taken the prostitute back to his rented room and 'had sex in the bedroom then on the balcony before she fell'.
He then said he was 'distraught' and returned to a different hotel.
Police Lieutenant Narong Chantra, deputy head of investigations at Pattaya Police, said Vella had been arrested on suspicion of 'negligence causing others to die' and fled the scene knowing that he was staying in the country illegally on an expired visa.
He said: 'CCTV from the incident was examined and after checking evidence at the hotel the suspect was found to be Mr Reece Vella, a British citizen, aged 25 years.
'An arrest warrant was issued after evidence was presented to the court. The police case is that on the day of the incident Mr Vella visited the bar and paid to take Miss Wannipa away.
'Miss Wannipa and Mr Vella were having very strange, extravagant sex on the balcony until she fell down below and died.
'Mr Vella was in shock and knowing that he had overstayed his visa ran away and kept her mobile phone in his bag and left the room.
Vella was filmed in possession of two mobile phones - one of which police claim was Wannipa's handset
Police claim Vella (pictured on his arrest) and Wannipa had been having what translates as 'fancy or extravagant' sex on the balcony before she fell to her death
But police claim that the pair had been having what translates as 'fancy or extravagant' sex on the balcony of the hotel (pictured) before Wannipa fell to her death
A packet of a Viagra-related gel was found next to Wannipa Janhuathon, 26, after she plunged five floors from a hotel balcony
'Mr Vella has been arrested on suspicion of negligence causing others to die, overstaying his visa in excess of 59 days and stealing a motorcycle at night.
'The foreign suspect will be processed and prosecuted in accordance with the law.'
The bar girl, also known by the nickname Joy, had moved from her home town in Sakon Nakhon province, and was working at Sky Bar in the city's bustling Soi 6 street, which is lined with hundreds of prostitutes working in bars and massage parlours.
Thai police said that Vella arrived at the venue earlier in the evening before agreeing a fee of around 1,500 baht (£35) then leaving with Wannipa and going to a room at the nearby Cosy Beach View condominium block.
But police claim that the pair had been having what translates as 'fancy or extravagant' sex on the balcony before Wannipa fell to her death - along with a packet of Kamagra oral jelly which was found next to her body at around 5.30am local time.
Sources close to the investigation said that the packet of Viagra-related gel which fell along with her body, gave them the first clue that Wannipa had not been alone - and had actually been mid-way through sex when she plunged naked to the ground.
The building's security guard Kriengsak Khamchachai, 23, described hearing a 'loud crash' as Wannipa hit the floor. Pictured: The Cosy Beach View apartment block
The building's security guard Kriengsak Khamchachai, 23, described hearing a 'loud crash' as Wannipa hit the floor. He then walked over and saw her body in a pool of blood before raising the alarm.
Paramedics arrived and performed CPR on Wannipa - who was still alive - but she was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Devastated staff at the venue said Wannipa was one of the 'happiest, friendliest girls anybody could wish to meet'.
They added in a statement: 'As many of you know we lost our beautiful Joy [on Saturday] morning.
'The place will not be the same without Joy's big cheeky smile and sense of humour.
'She really was a very special girl and left a lasting impression on all of us. She will remain in our hearts forever.'
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