A man who set his girlfriend on fire has been charged with murdering her, after she died 21 years later.
Steven Paul Craig, 57, of York, poured petrol over Jacqueline Kirk and set her on fire in Weston-super-Mare in 1998. He was subsequently found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and sentenced in 2000. Prosecutors say she died in 2019 “as a result in part of” her injuries.
Steven Paul Craig, 57, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent after he poured gasoline on Jacqueline Kirk and set her on fire in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset on April 18, 1998.
He was convicted and sentenced in 2000.
Mrs. Kirk was seriously injured at the time, but she survived. However, on August 23, 2019, Ms. Kirk died in hospital at the age of 62 after suffering a ruptured diaphragm.
As a result, Craig, of York, has now been charged with her murder, with prosecutors arguing that the injuries he inflicted contributed to her death.
The prosecutor told Bristol Crown Court on Monday: “In 1998, this defendant attacked a woman by pouring petrol on her and setting her on fire.
“The injuries inflicted were of great importance as a result of his actions.
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“However, at that point the victim survived. As a result, the defendant was tried and punished for what he had done.
“But the story doesn’t end there.
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“Many years later, the injured woman died as a result of some of the injuries this defendant had inflicted on this victim.
“Therefore, we say that common sense and the law say that this defendant must answer for all the consequences of what he did.
“The prosecution says that this defendant can be described as the one who murdered the victim.”
The burns covered 35% of the victim’s body.
Ms. Kirk’s injuries covered 35% of her body, including her face, neck, chest, torso, thighs, and buttocks.
The prosecution argues that she died because her skin could no longer stretch enough to accommodate the swelling of her intestines.
They also claim that her injuries were the reason why the doctors decided not to operate on her to repair her diaphragm and thus save her life.
The defense argues that this cannot be proven.
Judge Justice Stacey told jurors to “put emotions aside” and consider whether Kirk’s burns contributed to her death.
Craig denies the murder charge. The case, which is expected to last three weeks, continues.
Source: https://wikisoon.com/
