Asia-Pacific

Japanese man admits to raping, strangling Briton

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-07-04 14:12

CHIBA - A Japanese man has admitted in court to raping and strangling a young British woman and then evading a nationwide manhunt for two years in a high-profile murder case.

Tatsuya Ichihashi is charged with murdering English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker at his apartment in 2007 and disposing of her body in a dirt-filled bathtub.

Hawker was 22 years old when she was killed after giving Ichihashi a private English lesson.

Ichihashi went into hiding for more than two years, using false identities and even getting cosmetic surgery to avoid detection. He was finally arrested in 2009.

Ichihashi admitted at the opening of his trial Monday that he raped Hawker and caused her death. But he said he did not intend to kill her.

A verdict is expected by July 21.