Court rejects appeal of military singers' son

Zhang Qihuai, attorney for Li Tianyi, a PLA singer's son who appealed against his gang-rape case, is seen?outside of Beijing First Intermediate People's Court, Nov 27, 2013. [Photo/Icrepss.cn]

A court in Beijing rejected the appeal on Wednesday morning of Li Tianyi, who had been sentenced to 10 years in jail for sexually assaulting a woman.

The No 1 Intermediate People's Court of Beijing upheld the verdict of the first trial as just and fair.

Li is the son of Li Shuangjiang and Meng Ge, two well-known singers for the People's Liberation Army.

The case had evoked widespread public discussion over privacy protection for minors.

According to Chinese law, cases involving minors should be heard in private sessions. Information regarding the 17-year-old and the case was widely circulated on the Internet.

Li had been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman along with four friends at a Beijing hotel on Feb 17.

A statement by Beijing Haidian District People's Court said the five had attacked the woman, identified only as Yang, 23, after a night of drinking in a bar.

He stood trial and pleaded not guilty on Aug 28 in Beijing Haidian District People's Court. The court issued its verdict on Sept 26, sentencing Li to 10 years in prison for taking part in the gang rape of the woman.

The other four defendants received sentences from three to 12 years.

Li insisted that he was innocent and lodged an appeal. Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court heard the case on Nov 19 and the trial of the second instance lasted more than 13 hours.

When he was 15, Li was involved in a serious assault of a couple over a driving dispute.

The couple reached a compensation agreement with Li Shuangjiang, and his son was required to go to reform school for a year.

The teenager was released in September last year.