Two Chinese men accused of knifing backpacker Shirine Harburn to death were today awaiting a verdict after a one-day murder trial.

Shirine, from Langley Green, Crawley, was hiking on Paoma Mountain in the south-western province of Sichuan three years ago when she was attacked and stabbed 12 times.

Police arrested two men in March and said they had confessed to robbing and killing her.

Shirine's family joined a senior Sussex detective at the hearing in the Ganzi Region Intermediate People's Court in Kangding yesterday. A court official said a verdict was expected next week.

Crimes against foreigners in China are often punished more severely than those against ordinary Chinese as part of efforts to keep up an image of safety for tourists and foreign investors.

A police spokesman said before the trial that, if convicted, the pair would probably be sentenced to death.

The two men are accused of stabbing Shirine after she struggled with them and called for help.

About £250 in local currency was stolen from her.

She was stabbed 12 times with a small craft knife, found near the body. There was no evidence of sexual assault, British officials said.

The men had robbed a restaurant before fleeing to Paoma with plans to rob spectators at a horse race, police said.

They allegedly targeted Shirine because she was travelling by herself after seeing her boyfriend Colin Horsfield off in the foothills earlier that day.

The couple, both experienced travellers, had been backpacking in the area which is remote but popular with Chinese tourists.