Sinn Fein has defended its decision to boycott Washington DC for St Patrick’s Day amid criticism from political opponents across the island of Ireland.

A jury found Hadi Matar, 27, guilty after a little less than two hours of deliberations following a trial in Chautauqua County Court, New York.

Parents who have spent a decade campaigning for answers about their baby’s death have described a coroner’s findings at his second inquest as “all we ever wanted and everything we have fought for”.