Death sentence for China killer

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6068222.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A Chinese farmer has been sentenced to death for the murder of 10 people in a Taoist temple in north-west China, the New China News Agency has reported.

Qiu Xinghua, 47, was found guilty of the murders at the Tiewadian temple in Ankang, in the country's Shaanxi province, in July, the agency said.

The victims were aged between 12 and 62 and included the temple abbot.

Qiu was also found guilty of another killing in Suizhou, Hubei province, the agency reported.

'He deserves it'

No date has yet been set for Qiu's execution, the agency said.

The abbot, five temple staff and four pilgrims were killed on 16 July in the temple.

Nine of the victims were male and one female.

Abbot Xiong Wancheng's body had been mutilated, Xinhua news agency said.

Early reports said the motive for the attack may have been revenge because Qiu had apparently had an argument with temple staff a few days before the attack.