A 23-year-old Malaysian man is facing the death penalty after being found guilty of murdering a Kent medical student and his friend on the island of Borneo.

Aidan Brunger from Gillingham and Neil Dalton from Derbyshire had been working at a hospital there and were stabbed after leaving a bar last August.

In a joint statement, the 22-year-olds' parents said they were pleased with the verdict, but said it wouldn't bring their sons back.

Newcastle University students Aidan Brunger and Neil Dalton, of Ambergate, were killed in Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

Zulkipli Abdullah, a fishmonger, was found guilty by a court in Malaysia.

The two men, both aged 22, had been working at a local hospital in Kuching - an area popular with backpackers.

They were stabbed and killed after a disturbance in a bistro or cafe in the early hours of the morning, an inquest into their deaths heard last year.

Their fathers identified their sons' remains when they were flown back to the UK.

In a joint statement 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 described the murders as a "savage and unprovoked attack".

He said he was glad justice had been done after a long and complicated trial.

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