A Sheffield student has been jailed after admitting killing a fellow student in an “alcohol-fuelled fight” in the city centre.
Yongqi Liang, 25, from Shanghai, admitted killing Xiangyu Li, 26, in March this year.
Describing CCTV footage, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oughton, said: “Liang instigate[d] a fight, which escalated dramatically.
“Liang dragged his fellow student to the floor, punching him violently. As the assault continued, Liang delivered a blow to Xiangyu’s head, he fell to the floor and never regained consciousness.
“The defendant could be seen spending around eight minutes attempting chest compressions, and mouth to mouth resuscitation, before leaving the scene.”
Xiangyu, originally from Ji Lin City, was later found dead on Union Street with significant bruises to his head, neck and chest.
Police were called to the scene after CCTV officers at Sheffield Town Hall saw a person laid out on the pavement in the early hours of Tuesday 24 March.
Sheffield Crown Court heard how on the morning after the incident, Liang made plans to leave the country.
He got a taxi to Manchester Airport and in an effort to flee to China, and boarded a flight to Frankfurt.
DCI Oughton added: “Unfortunately for Liang, officers were waiting for him in Germany and he was arrested under a European Arrest Warrant. He was later returned to Doncaster where he was charged with murder.”
Liang pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to five years in prison on Monday 5 October.
In his sentencing remarks, The Recorder of Sheffield Judge Jeremy Richardson QC described the case as a tragedy in “every dimension”.
Xiangyu was a former student at The University of Sheffield and had most recently been studying at The University of Kent.
DCI Oughton told the court: “I cannot put into words how difficult this has been for Xiangyu’s family to come to terms with. Their son came to study in the UK, full of hope and excitement, he’d made friends here and had a life here. Receiving contact from our officers was incredibly tough for them. My thoughts remain with them today.
“This is an extremely sad loss of a young life. Xiangyu was a fit, healthy young man who loved sport and music. His life was taken away in a violent incident, by someone he thought was his friend.”
Image: South Yorkshire Police
