Eastern China's municipality of Shanghai has handed down its first ever punishment for a foreign driver who committed a drink driving offence that killed one person.

A Frenchman, named Ian, who is without a Chinese driver's license, received an eight-month prison sentence and an overall fine of 500,000 yuan, at the trial held at the Second Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai, China News Service reported.

Investigations showed that in the early hours of June 2 the intoxicated man was riding an unregistered motorbike when he collided with two locals riding bicycles, causing the death of one.

Ian was prosecuted in August and reached an agreement with the relatives of the dead person over compensation on the basis of China's laws and standards for personal injury and death.

(CRI January 2, 2008)