Aug 20, 2012 at 7:31am

The wife of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been given a suspended death sentence for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.

Gu Kailai did not contest charges at her one-day trial that she poisoned Mr Heywood in November 2011.

Suspended death sentences are usually commuted to life imprisonment in China.

Mr Bo, the former party chief in Chongqing, was once seen as a contender for a national leadership position in a top-level reshuffle later this year.

But he has not been seen in public since the investigation into Gu was announced.

Gu's aide, Zhang Xiaojun, was jailed for nine years for his part in the murder.

'Huge stone'
The verdict in China's most high-profile trial for years came early on Monday, inside a court ringed by security personnel.

Chinese state media have reported that during the 9 August trial - which was not open to all - Gu admitted she poisoned Neil Heywood in a hotel room in Chongqing, helped by her aide.

She said she had suffered a mental breakdown and that Mr Heywood had threatened her son amid a row over a property deal, state media said.

"This case has been like a huge stone weighing on me for more than half a year," she was quoted as saying.

Speaking after the sentence was announced, court spokesman Tang Yigan said the court believed Mr Heywood had threatened Gu's son but not acted on the threats. It also found Gu had been suffering from "psychological impairment", he said.

In a statement, the British embassy in Beijing said its thoughts were with the family of Mr Heywood.

"We welcome the fact that the Chinese authorities have investigated the death of Neil Heywood, and tried those they identified as responsible," the statement said.

"We consistently made clear to the Chinese authorities that we wanted to see the trials in this case conform to international human rights standards and for the death penalty not to be applied."

A lawyer for the Heywood family said they respected the court's decision.


Source: BBC