Richard Hinds has been found guilty of the murder of Irish student Nicola Furlong in Japan. 19-year-old Hinds who is from Memphis, Tennessee has been sentenced to no less than 5 and no more than 10 years in prison with labour in a Tokyo court this morning.

21-year-old Nicola from Wexford was found dead in a hotel room in Tokyo on May 24th last year after a night out at a concert.

Under cross examination last week by the Prosecution Hinds admitted to having both hands around her neck.

Family say verdict is "travesty"

Nicola's mother and sister also gave impact statements to the court. In emotional testimony Angela Furlong asked the judge to take account of the pain caused to her family and to take account of the fact that Richard Hinds had not taken responsibility for what he did. Jurors wiped away tears as she read her statement.

Hinds admitted strangling the 21-year-old but denied killing her intentionally.

David McNeill of the Irish Times was in court for the verdict. He says Hinds smiled at his family as he left the court and the Furlong family have described the verdict as a "travesty".