Heywood Family 'Closer To Compensation Deal'

Relatives of a British businessman killed in China are closer to reaching a compensation deal with the woman convicted of his murder, says their lawyer.

He Zhengsheng, representing members of victim Neil Heywood's family, said he has been in contact with the lawyers of Gu Kailai, who received a suspended death sentence in August 2012.

Mr He said: "After I was asked to represent the family members of the victim, I have been in repeated contacts with the represented lawyers of the compensatory obligator Gu Kailai regarding the issues of compensation.

"Both parties have shortened the distance between the compensatory programme; the negotiation has achieved staged results and partial agreement.

"Based on the principle of adequate solution, both parties are positively discussing the final compensatory programme most beneficial to the side of the victim."

Mr Heywood was murdered in China's vast city of Chongqing in November 2011 and his death triggered the biggest political scandal in the country for decades.

Gu's husband Bo Xilai, Chongqing city's party secretary, was stripped of power before China's once-in-a-decade leadership transition.

It ended the promising political career of the high-profile figure and member of China's powerful politburo in disgrace.

After Gu was convicted, Bo was under investigation for suspected bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power - allegedly to cover up her murder case.

Bo was officially charged by Jinan intermediate court in July and will go on trial on Thursday this week.

Ann Heywood, the mother of Neil Heywood, issued a statement to the Wall Street Journal last week and broke her long silence to urge the Chinese government to settle the Bo Xilai case and seek compensation, but no specific amount was mentioned.

Another lawyer who is close to the Gu family was quoted as saying a figure of between $5m (£3m) and $8m (£5m) is being demanded by the Heywood family.

But Mr He said on Sina Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter, said: "As the lawyer of the family member of the British citizen Neil Heywood, I noticed some media's recent report of a statement of the compensation.

"I have contacted the family members, confirmed and was authorised to announce this statement: the statement I mentioned earlier is not consistent with the objective facts, and it has been misleading the public."

Speaking to Sky News, Mr He said he is representing Mr Heywood's family members from both China and Britain, but "it's not convenient now to give the specific number of the sum".

He also told Sky News the life of Mr Heywood's Chinese widow Wang Lulu and their two children remains normal, but he declined to give out any more details of their whereabouts.