Xu Lijie, 42, was sentenced to death by the Bozhou...

Xu Lijie, 42, was sentenced to death by the Bozhou City Intermediate People's Court of east China's Anhui Province. He had been convicted of committing 79 crimes, including 29 rapes, 40 robberies and 30 thefts and causing one death in his crimes from June 2000 to January 2003. The court's judgment said Xu, a native of the province's Guoyang County, had stolen property such as cash and clothes worth 25,932 yuan (3,124 US dollars). Xu and his defence lawyer claimed innocence on the charges of 14 rapes and the death, but admitted the other crimes. Xu was arrested by local police on 7 February 2003.