Yacht widow feared for her life

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The widow of a businessman who was murdered by three Burmese pirates off the coast of Thailand has relived the moments the trio boarded their yacht.

Lindy Robertson, 59, told the inquest into her husband's death how she feared for her life when she was attacked and tied up on their vessel in March.

Mr Robertson, 64, of Hastings, was bludgeoned and thrown overboard.

A coroner at Hastings Magistrates' Court recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

The attack, which took place near Koh Dong, off the Andaman coast, was described as an "horrific and terrifying ordeal".

I looked down and could see it was blood. I could see blood everywhere, up the walls, on the bed, on the pillows Lindy Robertson

Thai fishermen found Mr Robertson's body 10 nautical miles north of Satun's Lipeh Island a week after the attack.

He was semi-retired and had passed the running of his Mr Bean chain of coffee shops in East Sussex to his children.

He was fulfilling a lifelong dream of spending the winter months sailing around warmer climes with his wife.

In a statement read at the inquest, Mrs Robertson said she tried to dive off the boat but was stopped by the intruders and tied up.

Mrs Robertson said: "I heard a muffled sound like someone suddenly waking up frightened. I then heard Malcolm say words to the effect of, 'Get off my boat' twice and then it fell silent.

"I could hear the other two boys ransacking the boat for food and equipment. I thought at this time that they must have done to Malcolm what they had done to me."

She added: "They took me and I could feel a thick sticky fluid between my toes on the floor. I looked down and could see it was blood. I could see blood everywhere, up the walls, on the bed, on the pillows.

"I knew at this time that Malcolm was dead as a result of all the blood in the room. I started to formulate ideas about my own escape."

The couple had been sailing 45 miles west of Satun

About nine hours later when she heard the pirates board their dinghy she managed to issue an international distress signal, start the vessel's engine and head for a nearby fishing boat which alerted the authorities.

Three Burmese fishermen, Eksian Warapon, 19, an 18-year-old known as Aow, and a 17-year-old boy, known as Ko, were jailed in November for Mr Robertson's murder.

The men, who had pleaded guilty, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The boy, who was convicted of murder, was jailed until he reaches the age of 24.

Deputy East Sussex coroner Joanna Pratt said: "Mrs Robertson didn't see any assault against her husband but heard some of what happened and saw the blood.

"I doubt that any of us, having heard Mrs Robertson, can fully appreciate how terrifying those hours were for her."