A fishmonger faces the death penalty after being found guilty of murdering two British medical students in Borneo.
Zulkipli Abdullah, 24, admitted being involved in a fight with Neil Dalton and Aidan Brunger but denied killing them at the trial in the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
The bodies of the Britons, both 22, were found in a street in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, in August 2014.
The students had been in Malaysia on a placement. Their parents said on Tuesday they were “pleased” at the guilty verdict but it would not bring their sons back.
Brunger, of Kent, and Dalton, of Ambergate in Derbyshire, had been working at a local hospital in Kuching – an area popular with backpackers. They were stabbed and killed after an incident in a bistro or cafe in the early hours of the morning, an inquest into their deaths heard in 2014.
Their fathers identified their sons’ remains when they were flown back to the UK.
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Phil and Jan Dalton and Paul Brunger and Sue Hidson paid tribute to their sons and spoke of the devastation their deaths had caused. They said: “Since Aidan and Neil were killed on 6 August 2014 our lives have been shattered.
“They were two exceptional young men with such promise – kind, funny and full of life. Their deaths have left their families and many good friends utterly devastated.
“Neil and Aidan were having a wonderful time in Borneo working in Sarawak hospital and also travelling around seeing as much of the beautiful country as they could. Both boys said how very welcoming and friendly the people were.
“Our sons would soon have qualified as doctors. Their unprovoked and senseless murders as they were walking home after a night out with other medical students mean that Aidan and Neil will never have the chance to spend their lives caring for and helping others.
“They would have given so much to the world. We are so very proud of both of them and in what they achieved in their all too short lives.
“Although we are pleased that the man responsible for their murders has been held accountable, the guilty verdict does not bring our sons back.
“We would like to thank our families, friends and everyone who has helped us through these distressing times. We would ask that we are now left to grieve for Neil and Aidan in peace.”
The families’ British lawyer, Kieran Mitchell, said: “This was a savage and unprovoked attack which lead to the death of two young men who had travelled to Borneo with the sole aim of using their medical skills to help people.
“Since that day the families have put their faith in the Borneo justice system, which is very different to our own, adding further strain and difficulty during this devastating ordeal. After a long and complicated trial they are relieved that justice has been done.”
