Help for the needy

Beijing resident Liao Dan's case provides some food for thought.

The 41-year-old laid-off worker cheated a hospital out of 170,000 yuan ($26,650) in medical expenses for his wife's dialysis over five years. He now faces a prison sentence of three to 10 years.

The touching story of an impoverished man risking jail to save his ailing wife has aroused the sympathy of the public, who have donated 300,000 yuan to the couple and expressed the hope the court will show leniency.