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Anorak News | Lindsay Ann Hawker’s ‘Murderer’ Tatsuya Ichihashi Faces Bill Hawker (Photos)

Lindsay Ann Hawker’s ‘Murderer’ Tatsuya Ichihashi Faces Bill Hawker (Photos)

by | 2nd, July 2011

LINDSAY Ann Hawker was 22 when she was murdered in Japan. Today, Bill Hawker was at Terminal 3 of Heathrow Airport, London, as the Hawker family flew to Tokyo. Bill and his wife Julia Hawker will have the chance to question Tatsuya Ichihashi when he goes on trial for their daughter’s murder and rape on Monday. Under the Japanese system they will be classed as “victim participants” and will be able, at the discretion of the court, to question the defendant and give their opinion on sentencing. They will also be able, for example, to ask to examine the prosecution evidence.

Ms Hawker, 22, from Brandon near Coventry, was found dead in a bath filled with sand on the balcony of Tatsuya Ichihashi’s flat in Ichikawa, Chiba prefecture, east of the capital. She had been beaten and tied up. That was in March 2007. She had been in Japan for five months. The last time anyone other than the accused saw the teacher alive was when she was giving Mr Ichihashi an English lesson in a coffee shop. When the net began to close in, he went on the run. For two and half years he evaded arrest. On November 10 2009, Ichihashi was arrested in Osaka.

Bill Hawker became a familiar face on the television. He wore a T-shirt with a photo of Ichihashi’s face and the word “MURDERER” on it as he handed out leaflets appealing for help at airports in the UK. Bill Hawker was a man mired in raw grief. It’s not often the TV broadcasts images of a man in so much pain. To look on his suffering was almost unbearable.

Today Bill Hawker spoke to media at the airport:

“We’re travelling to Tokyo today for the trial of Ichihashi and we’re hoping to get justice for our daughter. That has always been our only aim. I can’t say anything else other than that today. But, we’re a strong family and we’re going to see this through to the end. All we want is justice for Lindsay.”

We wish him well…

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Undated handout poster released today appealing for information on the whereabouts of Tatsuya Ichihashi, the main suspect in the murder of Lindsay Ann Hawker, who was killed six months ago.



Posted: 2nd, July 2011 | In: Reviews Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink