Li Ming, a migrant worker in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, was sentenced to one-year imprisonment with a one-year reprieve for beating up a thief who attempted to steal his electric bicycle, report Xinhua News Agency on Thursday.

He was also required to pay a compensation of 25,000 yuan (US$3125) to the victim surnamed Lin, according to the judgment issued by the city's Canglang District Court on December 19, 2006.

According to the Xinhua report, Li, a construction worker and native of central China's Henan Province, was working inside a house in a local village on August 2, 2006, when he found a man was riding away on his electric bicycle that he had parked outside.

Li rushed out of the house to stop the thief who, anticipating things might go wrong, abandoned the electric bicycle and left with three accomplices on two bicycles.

Furious, Li mounted his electric bicycle, caught up with them, asked for compensation for the broken U-shaped lock but was refused. Outraged, Li threw the broken lock toward one of them who was identified as Lin.

Before long, the five were grappling with each other, resulting in heavy injuries on both sides.

Lin was later diagnosed with rupture of the spleen, which legal medical expert say constitutes heavy injury to human body. Li also got five stitches on his head. Soon after, Lin filed a lawsuit against Li.

Li appeared disappointed with the verdict.

"I'm wondering if I did the wrong thing by stopping the thief. I'd rather have my electric bike stolen, which only has a worth of 2000 yuan (US$250). Now I had to pay the thief 25,000 yuan (US$3,125). I lose either way," Li was quoted as saying.

Asked if he was able to raise the money, Li said it was very difficult for him.

Ever since the lawsuit began, Li and his wife have worried a lot about money. They borrowed 6000 yuan (US$750) for Lin's medical fees, and even the retaining fee was borrowed, Li told Xinhua.

Li went to Suzhou three years ago to do tile work. In a good month, he could manage to pull in a little more than 1000 yuan (US$1250), but sometimes there was no work for over half a month.

Li also admitted that he has hated thieves since he had two cell-phones and an electric bicycle stolen and the house he rented had been burglarized during his stay in Suzhou. But he said he would not stop a thief in the future unless there was a witness.

Another reason Li was unsatisfied with the outcome was that nobody was ordered to shoulder the responsibility for the injuries he received from the thief and his accomplices.

"There were four of them beating me up, smashing me in the head with bricks. Under such circumstances, I had to strike back," Li said.

But a Beijing-based lawyer thinks otherwise.

"It's a two-part process. First there was the theft by Lin, and then there was the intentional injury by Li. With evidence, Li could report the thief to the police rather than carry out the self remedy, resulting in a heavy injury to the other party, which may incur a one-year jail term at least. So,it is a lenient judgment," he told chinadaily.com.cn.

Lin's brother also believes the judgment is fair, and the fact that his younger brother stole something did not justify Li's beating him up. He said they would not appeal since the compensation was adequate.

It is unclear whether Li will appeal or not.