Beijing- A Chinese student was sentenced to three years in prison for accidentally killing a passerby during a suicide jump from his seventh-floor dormitory room, a local newspaper reported Wednesday.

After jumping from his dormitory in September 2007, Deng Guowang, a student at the Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, landed on a young woman who subsequently died from her injuries, the Guangzhou-based Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

According to the newspaper, Deng was being investigated at the time by local authorities for forging an official seal and documents in order to get permission to host a small carnival for a trading company.

Unable to take the pressure, he decided to commit suicide, the newspaper said.

In an initial trial, Deng was sentenced to three years for the woman's death, as well as six months for forging the documents.

During an appeal, the Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court reduced the initial sentence on the grounds that, although Deng had been negligent, he had not intentionally killed the woman. He had also agreed to give 474,474 yuan (69,776 dollars) compensation to the family of the deceased.

In the final judgement, Deng was given a four-year suspended sentence for both crimes, the report said.