THE father of a teenager facing the death sentence in Thailand believes his son will deserve everything he gets, if he knowingly smuggled killer drugs into Bangkok.

Michael Connell was arrested by Thai police on Monday at Bangkok International Airport when 3,400 Ecstasy tablets were found in his travel bag.

The unemployed teenager, from Kestrel Drive, Bury, is the youngest Briton in 13 years to face Thailand's tough anti-drugs laws. The maximum penalty in Thailand for drug smuggling is execution by lethal injection.

Because he is a foreigner and aged just 19, it is more likely that any possible death sentence would be commuted to a life sentence and that he would be transferred to a British jail after serving at least eight years in Thailand's brutal prisons.

Michael has said he would plead guilty to the charge in order to save his life.

In a televised statement, Michael pleaded: "I am innocent but I have been told that if I do not explain the whole story I will be found guilty and get the death sentence. So I am pleading guilty to save my life."

At his first court appearance on Wednesday, Michael's case was adjourned for 12 days and he was remanded in custody to Khlomg Prem jail. He has yet to plead.

Before flying to Thailand, Michael said he bought two tubs of body cream at Tesco's in Woodfield Retail Park. He claimed: "Somehow when the tubs were opened by Customs the pills were inside. I do not know how they got there. The tubs did not look like the same ones I packed.

"Tell my mum and dad that I love them and not to worry about me. I'm more worried about them than they should be about me."

It is the second time Michael has travelled to Thailand. In April he spent a week in Bangkok.

However, his dad, Derek, told the Bury Times: "I want to ask Michael if he knew what he was doing, if he was intentionally carrying the drugs. If he admits it, although it is a very hard thing to say, he will deserve everything that is coming to him."

Mr Connell (48), of Almond Avenue, Bury, said the first time he was aware Michael had been arrested by Thai police was when it was announced on local radio. He added: "I was driving my taxi at the time and I felt physically sick and shocked. I still can't believe it is real."

According to his father, Michael was due to attend a magistrates court hearing in Bury last Friday. He was facing eviction from his flat in Kestrel Drive, Bury, owing £350 in rent arrears.

"Michael came to me and asked for help in paying the arrears off," he said. "I told him I could only get £200 and he would have to get the rest off his mother, Maureen.

"I took my Visa to its limit to get him the cash. I feel that I have only helped in sending my son to prison for the rest of his life, or to his death.

"I don't know whether he paid any of the money I gave him to the council. He may have used it to buy a plane ticket. He may have tried to make some money by taking a package abroad without being aware of what was in it. Until I speak to him about what has gone on, I will never know. Michael is a very naive and gullible boy."

It is unlikely that Mr Connell or his ex-wife will be able to afford the travel costs to visit their son. The unemployed teenager is a former pupil at St Paul's CE Primary School in Bury. At the age of 14, he was expelled from Broad Oak High School after fighting with a fellow student.

He moved from his dad's home to Kestrel Drive when he turned 18 and regularly smoked cannabis, his dad said. His brother, Adam (17), lives with his mum, Maureen, in Massey Street, Bury. She said: "It's a shock. All I can say is that he is a love."