Beijing, Nov 1 (IANS) A man in China has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for stabbing his mother nine times following an argument over money in Shanghai, Xinhua reported. But the mother has sought mercy for him.

The 24-year-old man, surnamed Wang, stabbed his mother March 31 while reuniting with her at the Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport after having spent five years in Japan for studies, Xinhua reported.

But having survived despite being stabbed so many times, the 52-year-old mother Gu, sought court’s mercy for her son.

‘My son became a victim when our family’s financial situation deteriorated,’ she stated.

Gu and her son quarrelled after she expressed her inability to financially support him anymore.

As per Gu’s brother-in-law, she earned about 80,000 yuan ($12,587) a year by selling clothes. But her son’s tuition and living expenses in Japan were at least three times of that. She borrowed from friends and relatives for him.

Meanwhile, Wang has been convicted of intentionally injuring another person. The sentence was handed down by the Pudong New Area People’s Court after it rejected his plea of insanity.