We are being terrorised by biting spiders
Tourist, 23, and pal could get 10 years for Thai vandalism
VENOMOUS Cellar spider A FAMILY are living in a “horror movie” after venomous cellar spiders took over their garage.
Steve Benham, 43, ended up in hospital and was in pain for hours after a bite.
He said: “My hand and my arm were huge.”
The family shut windows and doors.
Specialists treated their home, but the spiders were back “in two weeks”.
Steve of Weston-superMare, Somerset, said when wife Sharon found one in her hair, it was “like a horror movie”.
The National History Museum identified the species, which have a oneinch body, as being native to the Mediterranean.
Steve said: “They’re climbing into cardboard at distribution centres in warmer parts of the world.” all The culprits’ name and initial clearly visible on wall A BRITISH backpacker who could face 10 years in jail for spraying graffiti on a historic Thai monument admitted he is “terrified”.
Lee Furlong said he was “blind drunk” when he picked up a can of black paint to daub “Scouser Lee” across the Tha Phae Gate in Chiang Mai.
Outraged locals accused him of disrespecting the ancient 13th century fortress.
And Furlong, together with Canadian Brittney Schneider,
23, were arrested.
They were both frogmarched to the site from their beds at the nearby Mad Monkey Hostel and confessed to the crime.
The pair could now face up to 10 years in prison and a £25,000 fine for desecrating the wall. Furlong, 23, from Liverpool, said yesterday: “I’d been drinking all day. I’d had some bad news from my family and I went out drinking. I mean, I was really, really drunk.
“I saw the spray can and just picked it up. Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. “When I woke up, the police were here. They took me to the station and I was in shock. I’m terrified of what will happen now.” Furlong said police had taken his passport and he is due to appear in court next month. He added: “I’ve spoken to my family and I’m trying to get some help. “I really need it. I honestly don’t know what to do. My visa runs out in two days, HISTORIC The 13th century walls & gate CAUGHT CCTV image shows pair in the act Furlong said that he was too drunk to spell correctly that’s another problem. I had been having such an amazing time here. The best time of my life.
“I’m just devastated that I’ve done something so stupid. I’m sorry to all the Thai people that have been offended by it. I’ve been an idiot.”
Furlong admitted that he was so drunk he had struggled to spell the word “scouser”, which appeared on the wall as “scousse”.
He said: “I was blind drunk when it happened. I couldn’t even write properly, that’s how drunk I was.”
He now faces prosecution under Thailand’s Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums Act, 1961, after the incident in the early hours of Thursday. Lt Col Teerasak Sriprasert of Chiang Mai police said: “The graffiti says ‘Scousse Lee’. This means ‘Scouser Lee from Liverpool’. The girl is called Brittney and she wrote a letter ‘B’ on the wall.
“Officers investigated the vandalism after it was seen on CCTV cameras.
“The accused will be investigated and prosecuted according to the law.”
Tha Phae Gate is in a 13th century wall built as a fortress to protect the city. It is the centre of tourism in the northern city and surrounded by bars and hotels. LEE FURLONG BRITISH BACKPACKER
I saw the spray can and picked it up. I didn’t know what I was doing