Accused ‘deserves death penalty for killing Nicola’

Prosecutors in the case of Richard Hinds, who is standing trial for the murder of Irish student Nicola Furlong, have demanded the maximum punishment permissible for a man who had shown “no remorse” and “huge disrespect” towards the victim and her family.

The 19-year-old musician from Memphis, Tennessee, “deserved the death penalty or life imprisonment — the maximum permissible under Japanese law”, said head prosecutor Kenji Horikoshi.

However, since he was being tried as a juvenile, he should serve the severest sentence under Japanese juvenile law, which is between five and 10 years, Mr Horikoshi said. “There is no reason to demand less than this,” he added.