The Damage Done: Twelve Years Of Hell In A Bangkok Prison

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Paul Hayward was a tough, pugnacious five-eighth from Newtown, a scrapper in the old Bluebag tradition — who mixed professional boxing with his rugby league career. Sheffield four-piece band Harrisons penned a song entitled "Simmer Away" after reading The Damage Done. You see, on the Thai calendar it is the year 2528. In three years the King will have been on the throne for, I think, 40 years. It makes this "story behind the story" that I have been asked to write an extraordinary yarn, although it pales in comparison to the sad tale of the poor decision of Paul Cecil Hayward in October 1978 after he told his wife Gail he was off to America with his Newtown Jets teammates for their end-of-season trip when he was really heading to Bangkok with courier Warren Fellows for a heroin deal.

As if all of that wasn’t enough already, the book isn’t even well-written. It’s basically just a loose collection of there was this one time and this random prisoner I knew. Like, there is no common theme or conclusion to this story. But you know what? I think I’d have hated this book just as much if Fellows had come out the other side declaring himself a changed man. Because clearly, he didn’t change. I had the impression that all this experience did was instil a deep, dark fear of Thailand into him. And that just … Look, I know I shouldn’t judge how other people react to stuff, but if you can go through all that and still be an asshole — I don’t understand that. Of course, the things he endured were horrible, no question about it. Of course, he’ll be scarred for life. But the pretentious and unapologetic tone * in which he tells this story is despicable to me.On 12 October 1978, the rooms occupied by Fellows and Hayward at the Montien Hotel in Bangkok were raided by Thai police. The pair were arrested when 8.5 kilograms of heroin was found in a suitcase in Hayward's room. [7] Fellows alleges they were subjected to physical and psychological abuse at the hands of Thai Narcotics Suppression Unit officers who demanded they sign statements which they could not read because they were written in Thai. The officers demanded Fellows and Hayward make statements incriminating Sinclair. Fellows claims they resisted because Sinclair was innocent, but he eventually relented when officers informed them they were to be executed without trial under Article 27 of the military law and dragged Hayward outside for execution. [8] Fellows and Hayward agreed to sign the statement and Sinclair was arrested and charged. Adrian Simon says caring for his ill and infamously convicted drug dealer father broke him both emotionally and physically. Picture: Adam Ward

Where was the Paul Hayward I'd expected to see? Aged 32 but surely looking 42 after six and a half years in this place. Hayward later explained they were from death row. The prisoners sentenced to execution. They stay here sometimes for years, always in chains, rarely let out of their cells, with their ultimate end by firing squad. Hayward – looking fit, with clean, bouncy hair and nervousness but energy in his body - was lucid, repentant, forthcoming and emotional. I left him with two pairs of sports shoes, t-shirts and joggers and some of my own money and returned to my hotel room.

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He did return, in April 1989 – 10 and a half years after having a .38 police pistol held to his temple in his Bangkok hotel. He'd received a pardon for his good behavior by the king of Thailand as part of his 60th birthday celebrations. Earlier it had been reported Hayward had tested HIV positive due to using a contaminated heroin syringe while in jail. Embassy officials told me to expect all three Australians in Bang Kwang — Hayward, associate Warren Fellows and Melbourne man Bruce Allen — to rush out. A messenger would go to the cells and simply say: "Paul Hayward — embassy here." Parkin had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, in relation to Williams and Khan. It was hardly a regulation league story (as I was to cruelly find out) but, I thought, a valid human interest one. Headsy was very supportive.