Indian student's 'Psycho' killer convicted in Britain

A British killer who called himself "Psycho" was found guilty on Thursday of murdering an Indian student who was spending a holiday with friends in England.

Kiaran Stapleton, 21, shot 23-year-old Anuj Bidve in the head in the early hours of December 26 in Salford, northwest England, as the victim was walking through the town with friends.

He had admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility -- a lesser charge -- but a jury at Manchester Crown Court convicted him of murder.

Bidve, who was studying at Lancaster University in northwest England, had arrived in Britain last September from the Indian city of Pune and was working towards a post-graduate qualification in micro-electronics.

Prosecutor Nazir Afzal said he was pleased that he had been "able to deliver justice for Anuj's family today" following the "completely senseless" killing.

Bidve's parents Subhash and Yogini flew from Pune to Britain to attend the trial and were in court to see the verdict.

Stapleton will be sentenced on Friday and faces life imprisonment.

"Kiaran Stapleton shot Anuj, an innocent and defenceless man, at close range without warning or provocation. Thankfully such crimes of truly random and brutal violence are extremely rare," Afzal said in a statement.

"It was a cowardly murder, and his reaction afterwards in trying to cover his tracks, hide from police and evade justice was also cowardly."

Afzal added: "Anuj had his whole life ahead of him. He was young and bright, a talented student who was enjoying his time at Lancaster University. His parents were understandably very proud of him.

"They sent him to the UK to continue his studies and fulfil his ambitions but tragically came here themselves to take his body back home.

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