Lindsay Hawker murder suspect arrested

After a three-year search, the man accused of murdering British teacher is arrested in Japan

After a three-year search, the man accused of murdering the 22 year-old British teacher has been arrested in Japan.

The father of murdered British teacher Lindsay Hawker cried as Japanese police arrested her suspected killer after nearly three years on the run. Bill Hawker said his family's agonising wait for justice was over after officers finally caught suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi, 30, while he waited to board a ferry from Osaka to the remote islands of Okinawa.

He is the only suspect in 22-year-old Lindsay's killing after her naked and battered body was found in a bath full of sand on his balcony.

Her emotional dad Bill said: ‘I am so happy. All we want to do is see this man in court. I will go to Japan as soon as I am required to. I want to look Ichihashi in the eyes myself. I am so glad I can go down to my daughter's grave later and tell her. He ran away from the crime scene and was running away when he was caught.'

Lindsay's parents Bill and Julia, of Brandon, near Coventry, have made several trips to Japan to appear on TV police appeals. According to reports in the Daily Mirror earlier this week they urged Ichihashi to hand himself in - something his own mum had also done.

Lindsay's sister, Lisa, 26, added: "We've never given up, not from day one. All the sleepless nights, all the not eating, all the crying, all the tears."

The Foreign Office said: 'We are grateful to the Japanese police.'

CLICK HERE FOR MORE WORLD NEWS