Home office minister Brandon Lewis has spoken of the 'devastating impact' the murder of student Hannah Witheridge had on her family and the local community.

In a House of Commons debate the Great Yarmouth MP praised Norfolk police for the support they had provided after the 23-year-old was killed while on a backpacking holiday on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014.

He spoke of how he had been touched by her death after MP Dominic Raab raised another overseas murder case in a Westminster Hall debate.

Mr Raab told parliament that the family of British businessman Oliver Gobat, who was murdered in an execution-style killing in St Lucia, felt abandoned by the lack of support from UK authorities.

Mr Lewis, who was answering the debate on behalf of the government as a Home Office minister, said the issue affected a number of British families in similar situations.

He told MPs: 'I am only too aware of the devastating impact that such cases can have on families and communities. I was recently touched by the death of my constituent Hannah Witheridge, who died alongside David Miller in tragic and awful circumstances in Thailand in 2014, so I have seen the impact that such cases have. The Norfolk police did a fantastic job with the family liaison officers in working with the families and giving support to the community,' he said.

Miss Witheridge, a former UEA student, lived on the Parklands estate in Hemsby and was studying for a masters in speech language therapy.