A man was sentenced to six years in prison for intentionally causing injury by pushing a man off a subway platform, Beijing No 1 Intermediate People's Court ruled on Monday.

Yang Guiwu was in a crowded subway car with his girlfriend on Aug 22, 2011, when she got involved in a quarrel with a couple. Yang, then 46 years old, came to his girlfriend's aid.

The quarrel continued in a station when they got off the train. Yang kicked the man, named Wei, and he fell off the subway platform.

Seeing a train was approaching, Yang jumped onto the tracks and signaled it to stop to keep Wei from being hit.

Wei was seriously injured, and his wife had minor injuries, according to the court.

Yang was found guilty of intentionally injuring Wei, but the court took into account that he stopped the oncoming train, saving Wei from being hit, and the it dealt leniently with him, the verdict said.

In addition to receiving a six-year sentence, the court ordered Yang to compensate Wei and his wife more than 230,000 yuan ($37,030).