US teen guilty of Brit murders

Paul Davis, a friend of James Kouzaris and James Cooper, read a statement on behalf of their parents after Shawn Tyson was found guilty of their murders.

Joe Hallett, a friend of James Kouzaris and James Cooper has spoken of his "dissatisfaction" at the lack of messages of support or condolence from the US government or President Obama.

He said Mr Kouzaris' father has written to President Obama on three separate occasions and has yet to receive the courtesy of a reply.

The parents of James Kouzaris, who was murdered in Florida, said they have asked themselves "why" many times since his death.

A video of their statement was played to the court in Sarasota.

Click here to watch ITV Central's in-depth report on the background of the Florida murder trial.

Joe Hallett, a friend of James Kouzaris and James Cooper, said their killer, Shawn Tyson, has taken their friends and family through "a journey to hell".

Addressing Tyson personally, he said: "It was through your deadly action that you have taken us all on a journey to hell during the last 12 months."

Friends of James Kouzaris and James Cooper made a statement outside court criticising President Obama for failing to respond to their letters.

They said it appeared that the deaths of two British tourists were clearly not even worth ten minutes of his time.

Paul Davies, a friend of James Kouzaris and James Cooper, has paid tribute to the two murdered British men and called their killer, Shawn Tyson, a "coward".

He said: "They were good men, the most amazing men you ever met, and maybe if you were more of a man that night you might have known them long enough to find out."

James Kouzaris's mother Hazel said her son's killer, Shawn Tyson, had eyes that were "empty of any feeling" after he was given two life sentences.

She said: "I will never forget his eyes, they seemed to be empty of any feeling."

She added: "I can't feel sorry for the murderer of my son, but I do have some feelings for his mother," who she said would never get to hold her son again.

Shawn Tyson was given two life sentences without the eligibility of parole at Sarasota County Court, where he was convicted of the murders of James Kouzaris and James Cooper in Florida last year.