A man was sentenced to death by the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court yesterday for burning his pregnant girlfriend because the child she was carrying was a girl.

The court also ruled Wang was guilty of illegally possessing weapons and ordered him to pay 700,000 yuan (US$94,595) to Sun, 24, the victim, as compensation.

Wang met Sun last year in Shenyang, capital city of Liaoning Province. Both were migrant workers and they started living together.

After Sun had been pregnant for about six months she had an ultrasound showing the fetus was a girl.

Wang wanted Sun to have an abortion but she refused, according to Xinhua news agency. On February 13, they argued constantly before Wang splashed gasoline on the woman and set it on fire.

Neighbors heard Sun screaming and saw her running out of an apartment in flames. They put out the fire and rushed the badly burnt girl to a hospital.

In addition to a disfigured face, Sun suffered burns to 30 percent of her skin and a damaged windpipe due to the inhalation of extremely hot gas. She also lost the baby.

Wang fled after the attack. He was arrested at a nightclub on March 22. Police obtained a crudely made pistol and three bullets from him, Xinhua said.

(Shanghai Daily, December 4, 2007)