- Title: JAPAN: Hawker family happy with daughter's killer's sentence
- Date: 22nd July 2011
- Summary: CHIBA, JAPAN (JULY 21, 2011) (REUTERS) **CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** CHIBA REGIONAL COURTHOUSE SIGN READING: "CHIBA REGIONAL COURT HOUSE" REPORTER RUNNING REPORTER TALKING ABOUT VERDICT ON TELEVISION (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 40-YEAR-OLD SPECTATOR EIGO URABE, SAYING: "For an hour and a half the defendant just sat looking forward. While I could only see from behind, he didn't move around at all for the entire hour and a half. He just sat listening to the entire thing." FAMILY OF LINDSAY HAWKER WALKING UP TO TALK TO MEDIA PHOTO OF LINDSAY HAWKER (SOUNDBITE) (English) LINDSAY HAWKER'S FATHER BILL HAWKER, SAYING: "We've waited a long time for today. We've waited four and a half years to get justice for Lindsay and we have achieved that today, we are very pleased." JOURNALISTS TAKING NOTES FAMILY CRYING AND SAYING THANK YOU BEFORE WALKING AWAY HAWKER FAMILY LAWYER KEIICHI KINUKAWA WALKING UP TO TALK TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) HAWKER FAMILY LAWYER KEIICHI KINUKAWA SAYING: "The family was explained in detail about the verdict and also about the punishment decided. They listened to the explanation with a satisfied look on their faces, and so I feel that it was a significant step for them." KINUKAWA STANDING AMONGST MEDIA
- Embargoed: 6th August 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan, Japan
- Country: Japan
- Reuters ID: LVA6LFJE2QNM9TQ05SUVW12K6NYA
- Story Text: The family of Lindsay Hawker say they are happy with the life sentence given to Tatsuya Ichihashi for the murder of their daughter.
The family of Lindsay Ann Hawker said on Thursday (July 21) that they were happy to see justice finally served as killer Tatsuya Ichihashi was handed down a life sentence.
Ichihashi, in a black shirt and grey trousers, did not move as the verdict was being read out.
"For an hour and a half the defendant just sat looking forward. While I could only see from behind, he didn't move around at all for the entire hour and a half. He just sat listening to the entire thing," Eigo Urabe, who was a spectator in the court, said.
The sentencing was presided over by Judge Masaya Hotta and took place in Chiba district court, located on the outskirts of Tokyo.
The verdict was in line with what the prosecutors had demanded earlier when the trial ended on July 12.
Lindsay Hawker's family were present for the entire sentencing and said afterwards that they were happy to see the end of the ordeal.
"We've waited a long time for today. We've waited four and a half years to get justice for Lindsay and we have achieved that today, we are very pleased," said father Bill Hawker.
Ichihashi's lawyers had said they do not plan to appeal.
Bill Hawker thanked all those who helped in the manhunt before he broke down into tears.
During the trial, Hawker's father had asked for the death penalty for Ichihashi, the highest punishment in Japan.
However the family lawyer Keiichi Kinukawa said that after the verdict was announced and explained to the family, they were satisfied.
"The family was explained in detail about the verdict and also about the punishment decided. They listened to the explanation with a satisfied look on their faces, and so I feel that it was a significant step for them," Kinukawa said.
Lindsay Hawker was found naked in a sand-filled bathtub in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo in March 2007.
Ichihashi, who is now 32 years old, managed to evade capture for more than two years.
He was finally arrested in central Japan on November 10, 2009 as he waited to board a ferry bound for Okinawa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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