Man jailed for Irish student murder
A 19-year-old American musician has been jailed for at least five years after being convicted of murdering an Irish exchange student in Japan.
Richard Hinds, of Memphis, Tennessee, stood silently as he was found guilty of strangling Nicola Furlong at a hotel in Tokyo in what the presiding judge called a "vicious" attack.
He was ordered to serve no fewer than five years but no more than 10 in a Japanese prison.
Hinds and another American were accused of taking 21-year-old Miss Furlong and one of her friends to the hotel after they had passed out in a bar.
Tokyo District Court ruled that Hinds strangled Miss Furlong when she regained consciousness to keep her quiet.
The other man was convicted last week of sexually assaulting Miss Furlong's friend.