A Japanese court has sentenced a man to life in prison for the rape and murder of British teacher Lindsay Hawker.

Chiba District Court sentenced Tatsuya Ichihashi to life behind bars for killing the 22-year-old in 2007 at his apartment.

After committing the crime, Mr Ichihashi evaded a nationwide police search for two and half years.

Ms Hawker’s body was found in a dirt-filled bath on the balcony of Mr Ichihashi’s apartment just outside Tokyo.

After his arrest in 2009, Mr Ichihashi wrote a book about his time on the run and the extensive cosmetic surgery he underwent to change his appearance.

The case became one of Japan’s highest-profile killings.

Mr Ichihashi said when his trial began on July 4 that he had enticed Hawker, who was working as an English teacher, into his apartment, raped and then strangled her because he feared her screams would prompt neighbours to call the police.

Although he confessed to causing her death, he said he did not plan to murder Ms Hawker and that he did not remember when he actually strangled her.

Hawker’s parents flew to Japan to attend the trial. Her father Bill had said they hoped Mr Ichihashi would be given the strongest punishment possible, which could have meant death by hanging.