Tsunami hero returns home to life in jail

SYDNEY (dpa) - An Australian man who earned praise for saving more than a dozen lives during the Asian tsunami disaster was arrested on his return home Monday, after police recognised him in a television interview from Thailand.
Queensland man Thomas Connell had been dubbed "the good Samaritan of Patong Beach" for his rescue role during the tsunami disaster on the Thai resort island of Phuket, Australian news agency AAP reported.

But police said they recognised Connell, whom they had been hunting for two years, after he appeared on television talking about his rescue efforts. Police greeted Connell at Brisbane airport and charged him with assault causing bodily harm relating to a home invasion in 2002.

Connell said police had the wrong person. "To be a lifesaver, saving 20 people, and then come back to my own country and I'm going straight into a bloody jail cell? It's mistaken identity," he said.(http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/tue/jan4w36.htm)

Another good reason why you should avoid the media.. :)

:D Medea......you made me laugh! But very true. After saving 20 people, couldn't they let him off with a warning or suspended sentence pending good behaviour - I don't know it seems a bit irrelevant, after 2 years; he didn't kill anyone and in the face of trouble, his real colours came flying through................?

:D Medea......you made me laugh! But very true. After saving 20 people, couldn't they let him off with a warning or suspended sentence pending good behaviour - I don't know it seems a bit irrelevant, after 2 years; he didn't kill anyone and in the face of trouble, his real colours came flying through................?
Unfortunately the police never see it that way...

J.J,
Good point about letting him off with a good behaviour bond or something like that, but that is for the court to decide not the Police.
His true colours shined in the face of such a bad natural disater and I think the courts will take this into account..

I really hope so - he really did a fantastic service to the community and those people whose lives he saved. It SHOULD count.