The family and sailing friends of the British yachtsman bludgeoned to death by pirates in Thailand are to hold a memorial service for him.

The body of Malcolm Robertson, 64, from St. Leonards, East Sussex, was found off Lipe Island, South Thailand, on Monday. It was formally identified at sea aboard a fishing boat by his son Dean, as the family feared Thai newspapers might publish pictures of the corpse.

The memorial service will take place on the Malaysian island of Langkawi.

Mr Robertson’s wife, Linda, 57, said that she hoped the Thai authorities would press a murder charge. Speaking in Satun, South Thailand, where three Burmese migrant workers are being held, she said: ‘I believe only one of them is guilty of murder, but I do not want him to be sentenced to death. Apart from that I am in a foreign country and will leave it up to the Thai justice system.’

Arrangements have already been made to fly Mr. Robertson’s boy home to Britain.

The Robertsons had moored their 44ft Bruce Roberts cutter, Mr Bean, off Butang Island when they were boarded by the three Burmese migrant workers.

Eksian Warapong, 19, will probably be charged with the murder. The two other Burmese, Aow, 18, and Koo, 16, will continue to face charges of kidnap, assault and theft.