The killer of a British woman in Japan has lost a final appeal against his life sentence.

Lindsay Ann Hawker - a teacher from Warwickshire - was just 22-years-old when she was murdered by Tatsuya Ichihashi, a man she was giving English lessons to. The case horrified the world: he raped, killed and buried her in a bath-tub full of sand in his flat in 2007. He fled, had plastic surgery to try and disguise himself and went on the run. Last July her family flew to Japan to see him finally being convicted.

Today at Tokyo High Court lawyers representing Ichihashi argued that his sentence should be reduced. They claimed that didn't intend to kill Ms Hawker and that therefore he should only serve between 20 and 30 years in prison. The judge at the High Court rejected that appeal and her family leased a statement saying they were 'relieved' at that news.