A man from China's Tibet Autonomous Region who tortured his housemaid, a girl aged 12 years, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment at the first trial on January 2morning in Lhasa.

Zhaxi Lhamo, 37, appealed the sentence, while trial visitors applauded the verdict.

In its judgment, the Chengguan District Court also ruled that the Tibetan should pay 62,476 yuan (7,527 US dollars) in compensation to the housemaid, whose name and ethnic group were not disclosed by the court.

According to Purbu, deputy director of the court, Zhaxi Lhamo beat and tormented the girl for three years with pincers, scissors and ropes.

He broke her right shoulder after she accidentally broke a bowl, said the girl.

According to medical examiners, the girl had over 100 wounds and scarring over 50 percent of her body.

According to the police, the tortured girl paced up and down before the gate of the local police station on Nov. 19 and told police about her suffering.

The police arrested Zhaxi Lhamo on Nov. 27 and the court began the hearing on Dec. 16.

(Xinhua News Agency  January 5, 2004)