UK Murder Investigation Linked to 2012 Pattaya Assault
WEST YORKSHIRE, UK – March 2025 – Detectives in the UK are renewing their appeal for information regarding the 2012 violent assault of Adam Pickles in Pattaya, which ultimately led to his death nine years later.
A Decade-Old Attack with Lasting Consequences
Adam Pickles, a 48-year-old British teacher, died in January 2021 in West Yorkshire from severe injuries he sustained in May 2012. Pickles, who was Head of English at Regents International School in Pattaya, suffered a traumatic brain injury after being attacked with an iron bar in what authorities initially believed to be a road rage incident.
After the attack, a campaign was launched to fund his medical repatriation to the UK, where he remained in need of 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
Previous Conviction and Renewed Investigation
In 2015, Sean Tinsley, a British national originally from Wolverhampton, was convicted in Thailand and sentenced to six years in prison for the assault—downgraded from attempted murder after an appeal overturned an earlier not guilty ruling.
Following Pickles’ death in 2021, West Yorkshire Police opened a murder investigation, treating the attack as a homicide case.
Public Appeal for New Information
West Yorkshire Police are appealing for new witnesses following a televised appeal on BBC Crimewatch Live.
Detective Chief Inspector Damian Roebuck from the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team urged anyone with information to come forward, especially those who may have been in Thailand at the time.
How to Provide Information
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact:
- West Yorkshire Police via 101 or the live chat feature on their website
- Crimestoppers (anonymous reporting): 0800 555 111 or online
The BBC Crimewatch Live episode covering the case is available on BBC iPlayer for the next 30 days.
