WANGDU, Hebei - A senior police official's son accused of killing a young woman while driving drunk confessed in court on Wednesday that he caused the woman's death, in a case that fueled public outrage after reports he invoked his father's name to evade responsibility.

Li Qiming, 23, also called Li Yifan in previous reports, appeared at Wangdu county people's court at 9 am, charged with causing death through traffic offenses for a fatal road accident on Oct 16 last year in Hebei University in Baoding city of Hebei province.

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The trial ended at 10:40 am, with the judge declaring that the verdict will be handed down at a later date.

Prosecutors said Li was drunk driving on the campus that night when he hit two female students who were roller-skating. After hitting the two girls, Li continued driving, intending to drop off his friend at the university, until the angry students and university guards stopped him.

One of the girls, Chen Xiaofeng, 20, died later in hospital. The other, Zhang Jingjing, 20, suffered a fractured leg.

Reports later emerged in the media that when people tried to stop Li from fleeing the scene, he shouted: "My father is Li Gang!" - an apparent attempt to use the influence of his father, deputy chief of the Beishi district police bureau of Baoding.

The comment exploded on the Internet, with netizens criticizing the father and son of abusing power. "My father is Li Gang" became the country's newest catchphrase, implying privileged children from official families.

In a China Central Television interview on Oct 22, Li Gang said: "I'm really sorry for what my son has done. He caused a lot of pain for the victims' families. I will not play favorites for my son's benefit at the court hearings." During the interview Li choked with emotion and bowed to ask for forgiveness.

Li Gang did not attend Wednesday's court hearing.

Legal experts have also debated whether Li should go to trial on a charge of "traffic offenses" or "a dangerous offense against public safety". The latter crime, if proven, carries harsher penalties, including the death sentence, while the lesser charge often results in prison sentences lasting from three to seven years.

On Wednesday, deputy chief of the Wangdu county people's procuratorate Xu Yongsheng suggested to the judge that Li Qiming should be sentenced to three to seven years in jail.

However, defense lawyer Zhang Jinlong said Li Qiming was sorry for what he had done and had compensated the victims' families, which the judge should take into consideration in regards to the penalty.

"I would hope for a sentence of three years in jail with a reprieve," Zhang said in court.

Li Qiming's family has reached a compensation agreement with the victims' families. Li has paid 460,000 yuan ($69,880) to Chen's family and 92,000 yuan to Zhang's family.

"My family and myself want justice. The prosecution itself demonstrates that," said Chen Lin, Chen's brother.

Xinhua - China Daily