Hinds is found guilty of Nicola’s murder

A guilty verdict has been returned for the man accused of strangling Wexford student Nicola Furlong, with the Tokyo court sentencing American Richard Hinds to a maximum prison term of 10 years with labour.

Passing sentence, presiding judge Masaharu Ashizawa spoke for the nine-strong panel of judges and lay jurors saying Mr Hinds would serve at least five years and no more than 10 years for his “atrocious and vicious” crime.

“The defendant killed the victim using some kind of ligature, which he pressed around her neck with a considerable force for some time,” Judge Ashizawa said. “This act is atrocious and vicious in nature... Due to the proclivity of sentencing in (Japanese) juvenile crimes, we could not consider the necessity for capital punishment or a life sentence.”