A?man convicted of killing five people in Beijing was sentenced to death yesterday and ordered to compensate victim's family 1.9 million yuan (US$279,800).

The Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court, the court of first instance, found Zhang Wei guilty of killing a family of four plus Zhang's girlfriend on December 31 in Beijing's Daxing District.

Zhang explained that he had been irritated by the ridicule from the first victim surnamed Shen. The men were drinking together. Zhang said he lashed out under the influence of alcohol.

Zhang then killed his girlfriend out of fear that she'd blow the whistle, according to the court.

Zhang then went to Shen's home to kill Shen's parents and wife there.

The court didn't accept Zhang's attempt to give information about a supposed fatal kidnapping - actually a fabrication - in exchange for a commuted sentence.

Zhang's case was the latest of series of three killing sprees in Daxing late last year.

Li Lei, the defendant of the first case, is awaiting the court ruling for killing his parents, two children, wife and sister on November 23 in their home in Daxing. The killer of the second spree was diagnosed with a mental disorder.