CAI Qing, a 21-year-old jobless man from Shanghai who murdered two people including a pregnant woman last April, was found guilty by a court in Beijing last Monday, the Beijing Youth Daily has reported.

Cai confessed to his crimes and is expected to be sentenced in the near future. The prosecutor has demanded the death sentence.

Cai, from Qingpu District of Shanghai, was unemployed before committing the crimes. On April 14, he broke into an apartment in Songjiang District of Shanghai and killed a 70-year-old woman. After stealing cash, he escaped and fled to Beijing.

Five days later, Cai robbed a pregnant woman surnamed Liu at the Zhaogongkou overpass and then stabbed her to death. Cai was eventually caught by local citizens and police after grabbing a girl's mobile phone near the Temple of Heaven on April 21.

Cai's crimes, especially the killing of the pregnant woman, have aroused wide condemnation from the public. In court, Cai was quiet, standing with his head bowed. He said his wallet was stolen after arriving in Beijing. He was unable to buy food and decided to rob people randomly at the Zhaogongkou overpass. He said he did not remember how many times he had stabbed the pregnant women and denied knowing she was pregnant. All he had stolen from her was an old pair of sports shoes.

(Shanghai Star September 3, 2004)