THE teenage son of a prominent Chinese general has denied a charge of gang rape, inflaming public anger in a case that has stirred resentment against the offspring of the political elite who are widely seen as spoilt.
Li Tianyi, 17, is one of five accused of assaulting a woman in a Beijing hotel in February.
He has become the most prominent target of complaints that the sons and daughters of China's top-ranked Communist Party officials can dodge the law because of family influence.
Mr Li's father is General Li Shuangjiang of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) who is a singer known for performing patriotic songs on television shows. His mother Meng Ge is also a famous singer in the PLA.
At a closed-door trial, Mr Li said he was drunk and had no knowledge of the alleged assault.
Two women stood in protest outside the court, holding signs that said"Protecting the rights of mothers, females and young girls" and "Believe in justice".
Mr Li's denial generated a torrent of criticism online and it is not his first brush with the law. In 2011, he drove a BMW into another car in Beijing, beat up the couple inside the vehicle and then scoffed at bystanders about calling the police. He was sentenced to a year in a juvenile correctional facility.
The rape case has made big headlines in China and follows the dramatic trial of ousted former senior politician Bo Xilai.
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