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| Bo Xilai scandal: Police chief Wang Lijun jailed for 15 years | Bo Xilai scandal: Police chief Wang Lijun jailed for 15 years |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The ex-police chief at the heart of China's biggest political scandal in years has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. | The ex-police chief at the heart of China's biggest political scandal in years has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. |
| Wang Lijun was jailed for ''bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribetaking", Xinhua said. | Wang Lijun was jailed for ''bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribetaking", Xinhua said. |
| The policeman's flight in February to a US consulate led to the downfall of his ex-boss, top politician Bo Xilai. | The policeman's flight in February to a US consulate led to the downfall of his ex-boss, top politician Bo Xilai. |
| Mr Bo's wife was convicted in August of killing UK national Neil Heywood. Wang was accused of helping in a cover-up. | |
| Wang - the former chief of police in the city of Chongqing, where Bo Xilai was Communist Party leader - had faced up to 20 years in jail, but prosecutors called his co-operation "meritorious service". | Wang - the former chief of police in the city of Chongqing, where Bo Xilai was Communist Party leader - had faced up to 20 years in jail, but prosecutors called his co-operation "meritorious service". |
| The ''combined term'' of 15 years in prison included nine years for bribery, seven for bending the law, two for defection and two for abuse of power, state television reported. | The ''combined term'' of 15 years in prison included nine years for bribery, seven for bending the law, two for defection and two for abuse of power, state television reported. |
| Wang Lijun's unorthodox policing methods inspired a TV drama, "Iron Blooded Police Spirits" and won him popularity during his tough anti-corruption crackdown in the city of Chongqing. | |
| His trial has unveiled a much more troubling side, showing him to have engaged in unauthorised surveillance of suspects and taken bribes in exchange for releasing prisoners. | His trial has unveiled a much more troubling side, showing him to have engaged in unauthorised surveillance of suspects and taken bribes in exchange for releasing prisoners. |
| But his unannounced visit to the US consulate in February and his whistle-blowing about the murder has not only shone a light into China's policing standards, but its politics too. | |
| His former boss in Chongqing, Bo Xilai, remains suspended from his position on the country's powerful politburo while he waits to hear if he will be next to face a criminal court. | His former boss in Chongqing, Bo Xilai, remains suspended from his position on the country's powerful politburo while he waits to hear if he will be next to face a criminal court. |
| Mr Bo was once tipped as likely to be awarded an even higher position when the Communist Party appoints its new leadership later this year. | Mr Bo was once tipped as likely to be awarded an even higher position when the Communist Party appoints its new leadership later this year. |
| But the extraordinary story of the politician, his homicidal wife and his corrupt police chief has altered the political landscape, raised questions about corruption at the highest level and unsettled what was meant to be a smooth political transition. | But the extraordinary story of the politician, his homicidal wife and his corrupt police chief has altered the political landscape, raised questions about corruption at the highest level and unsettled what was meant to be a smooth political transition. |
| ''We decided to sentence him to 15 years altogether on all the four charges and deprive [him of] his political rights for one year," court spokesman Yang Yuquan told reporters. | ''We decided to sentence him to 15 years altogether on all the four charges and deprive [him of] his political rights for one year," court spokesman Yang Yuquan told reporters. |
| ''Wang Lijun said he wouldn't appeal after hearing the verdict," Mr Yang said. | ''Wang Lijun said he wouldn't appeal after hearing the verdict," Mr Yang said. |
| The verdict was ''in accordance with the law'', he added, saying three of Wang's relatives were at the hearing. | The verdict was ''in accordance with the law'', he added, saying three of Wang's relatives were at the hearing. |
| Wang's lawyer, Wang Yuncai, also told the Associated Press that the sentence was ''considered normal'' under Chinese law. | Wang's lawyer, Wang Yuncai, also told the Associated Press that the sentence was ''considered normal'' under Chinese law. |
| The verdict comes as China prepares to select new leaders in coming weeks. | The verdict comes as China prepares to select new leaders in coming weeks. |
| It is due to hold a party congress that will see major changes in the top echelons of leadership, although specific dates have not been announced. | It is due to hold a party congress that will see major changes in the top echelons of leadership, although specific dates have not been announced. |
| 'Bent the law' | 'Bent the law' |
| Wang's trial took place last week in Chengdu. A court official said after the two-day hearing that he had not contested the charges. | Wang's trial took place last week in Chengdu. A court official said after the two-day hearing that he had not contested the charges. |
| The indictment against Wang said he knew that Gu Kailai - Mr Bo's wife - was a murder suspect. | The indictment against Wang said he knew that Gu Kailai - Mr Bo's wife - was a murder suspect. |
| Wang, however, ''bent the law'' by appointing Guo Weiguo - the deputy chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau and ''a close friend'' of both Wang and Gu - to oversee the case , a Xinhua report said. | Wang, however, ''bent the law'' by appointing Guo Weiguo - the deputy chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau and ''a close friend'' of both Wang and Gu - to oversee the case , a Xinhua report said. |
| Wang hid a recording of Gu's account of the killing from the police, the report added. | Wang hid a recording of Gu's account of the killing from the police, the report added. |
| But conflict arose between Wang and Gu, after which Wang told investigators to ''re-collect, sort through and carefully keep the evidence'' from the case, the report said. | But conflict arose between Wang and Gu, after which Wang told investigators to ''re-collect, sort through and carefully keep the evidence'' from the case, the report said. |
| During his term in Chongqing Wang had also committed other offences, including illegally releasing four suspects in return for property and money totalling more than 3m yuan (US$476,000; £294,000), Xinhua said. | During his term in Chongqing Wang had also committed other offences, including illegally releasing four suspects in return for property and money totalling more than 3m yuan (US$476,000; £294,000), Xinhua said. |
| Gu Kailai was given a suspended death sentence for the crime. At a separate trial on 10 August, four senior police officers from Chongqing admitted covering up evidence linking her to the murder and were jailed for between five and 11 years. | Gu Kailai was given a suspended death sentence for the crime. At a separate trial on 10 August, four senior police officers from Chongqing admitted covering up evidence linking her to the murder and were jailed for between five and 11 years. |
| Mr Bo has not been seen in public since the scandal erupted and is said to be under investigation by the Communist party's disciplinary officials. He has been removed from his official posts. | Mr Bo has not been seen in public since the scandal erupted and is said to be under investigation by the Communist party's disciplinary officials. He has been removed from his official posts. |
| But it is not known whether the former party chief - who was tipped for promotion to the top ranks before his downfall - will face criminal charges himself. | But it is not known whether the former party chief - who was tipped for promotion to the top ranks before his downfall - will face criminal charges himself. |
| At Wang's trial last week, Mr Bo was said to have reacted with anger when the police chief told him of his wife's involvement in the murder of Mr Heywood, "boxing the ears" of his former ally. | At Wang's trial last week, Mr Bo was said to have reacted with anger when the police chief told him of his wife's involvement in the murder of Mr Heywood, "boxing the ears" of his former ally. |
| Mr Bo's populist brand of politics - an authoritarian crackdown on corruption coupled with the promotion of old communist values - is said to have made him enemies, says the BBC's John Sudworth. | Mr Bo's populist brand of politics - an authoritarian crackdown on corruption coupled with the promotion of old communist values - is said to have made him enemies, says the BBC's John Sudworth. |
| They may be pushing for a criminal trial that removes him from the political landscape for a very long time, our correspondent says. | They may be pushing for a criminal trial that removes him from the political landscape for a very long time, our correspondent says. |