China executes man who kept and killed sex slaves

BEIJING - Chinese authorities put to death on Tuesday a man who held six sex slaves in his basement and murdered two, state media reported.

Li Hao, a 36-year-old former clerk, was executed after being convicted of "murder, rape, illegal detention, organised prostitution and manufacturing pornography for profit", the state news agency Xinhua said.

In 2009 Li dug a "dungeon" in his basement and confined six women there for periods ranging from two to 21 months, where he "repeatedly raped" them, it added.

He forced three of his victims to kill two of the others. One woman who participated in both murders was sentenced to three years' prison while the others were put on probation.

In 2011 Li had his surviving captives make obscene videos online and have sex with customers.

He spent two weeks a month with the women while telling his wife he worked nights as a guard, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported in 2011.

Li was caught in September that year after one captive escaped and went to the police.