35-year-old Thomas Hagan was subsequently cleared of the serious drugs charge brought against him in 2014 in July last year but the court imposed a 1-year prison sentence on him for not appearing before it to answer the charges.
A Scotsman who fled Thailand in 2014 to avoid criminal drug charges in the UK for which he was subsequently cleared, has died suddenly. The popular young man from the east end of Glasgow had built a new life for himself in Thailand with a wife and child.
Tributes have been made and grief-stricken friends have posted on social media after friends in Glasgow learned of the death of 35-year old Scotsman Thomas or Tam Hagan who fled to Thailand in 2014 to escape a £500,000 heroin drugs charge.
He died suddenly this week in the kingdom. The cause of his death is unknown at this time.
Warrant issued for Thomas Hagan arrest in 2014
Thomas Hagan was the subject of an arrest warrant issued in 2014 following a raid by police in the Tollcross area of Glasgow north of the River Clyde in 2014 during which Mr Hagan was found to be on the scene.
Hagan, a popular amateur boxer known as ‘Bam Bam’ turned up months later in sunny Thailand where pictures emerged of him baiting authorities in the UK drinking in Pattaya’s bars and enjoying the sunshine with pretty Thai women.
Became a well-known boxer in Thailand
He later went on to become quite a well-known boxer in Thailand even appearing in televised fights while settling down with his wife and family.
Cleared by the High Court in 2018 but sentenced to one year for taking flight to Thailand
Last year in July, the High Court in Glasgow cleared Tam Hagan of the drugs charges when the court formed the view that he was simply an innocent party at the apartment in 2014 when the police raid occurred in which a large seizure of heroin was made. Mr Hagan was reported to have been fitting carpet at the time.
Judge not impressed by the Scotman who died this week
However, the judge in the trial sentenced him to a 1-year prison term for not turning up to court and disobeying the summons to appear as a defendant.
The judge in the case, Lady Stacey, was not impressed by the then 34-year old’s disrespect for the court. ‘A failure to appear at the High Court is not a matter to be taken lightly. You were well aware of what you were doing. It wastes a good deal of time and money,’ the judge said.
Prosecutors claimed he was active in the drug scene
It is understood that prosecutors and police in Glasgow were also provoked by the social media posts of the Scotsman from Thailand after he took flight from the UK justice system.
Prosecutors had insisted that Thomas Hagan was active in the drugs scene in the Scottish city where drugs culture and criminality is rife.
Brother Paul visited him in 2016 and was involved in a serious motorbike accident
2 years after Mr Hagan’s flight to Thailand, his brother Paul joined him in Thailand for a holiday after having become a regular visitor to Pattaya in the Land of Smiles to spend time with his older brother.
The 24-year-old was involved in a serious motorbike accident which saw him seriously injured and bloodied after crashing into a food stall.
It is understood that the accident happened weeks into the holiday when a friend told a local newspaper in Scotland that the younger Hagan had been partying heavily in the resort town and already a girlfriend of his own there.
Tam Hagen’s younger brother suffered severe injuries in the accident, including a fractured skull and eye socket as well as a broken jaw. He also suffered a fractured shoulder.
Nevertheless, Thai police arrested and handcuffed him, then put him unceremoniously into the back of a police pickup. Later, charges in the matter were not pursued.
$4,000 raised just hours after Go Fund me launched to bring Mr Hagen’s body home to Glasgow
Just hours after a Go Fund Me page was launched on Tuesday evening to bring the body of Thomas Hagen back to Thailand, nearly £4,000 out of £45,000 had been raised
Friends pay tribute to the deceased man
The page had been set up by friends of the family who are reported to be under severe stress after learning of the death of the 35-year-old man so suddenly in Thailand.
The popularity of the young man was evident with many testimonials to his generosity and sense of good cheer. ‘Thomas was the most generous guy, lived for his family & friends, I’m sure half of the east end have had a drink off him at one point in time.’
Further reading:
Scotsman known as ‘Big Daddy’ escapes Thailand before arrest warrant issued for human trafficking
