Beijing, Jul 13 (IANS): Desperate to keep his wife "alive for a while", a man in China admitted in court that he had swindled 172,000 yuan (about $27,000) from a city hospital in Beijing to pay for her dialysis treatment.

Liao Dan, 41, was accused of using forged Beijing Hospital charge notes from November 2007 to September 2011 to keep his wife on dialysis, reported China Daily.

During his hour-long trial Wednesday, Liao confessed that he could not afford his wife's dialysis treatment so he found someone to forge the hospital's charge seal.

Explaining his reasons for his act, Liao said he just wished to "keep his wife alive for a while" and he did it after being left with no other choice, the report added.

As the prosecutor suggested Liao be sentenced to three to 10 years in prison, the latter said he had no problem with the sentence recommendation.

The judge told Liao that he could return home and take care of his wife. But he must promise to return to court when summoned, The Beijing News reported.