Jacqueline Kirk murderer given life sentence for fire attack

A antheral has been fixed a beingness condemnation for murdering his ex-partner, who died 21 years aft helium acceptable her alight.

Jacqueline Kirk was severely disfigured aft Steven Craig acted retired a torture country from Reservoir Dogs astatine their location successful Weston-super-Mare successful 1998.

Craig was recovered blameworthy of grievous bodily harm astatine the clip and served astir 19 years successful jail.

Ms Kirk died successful 2019 from complications relating to the injuries she suffered, truthful Craig was past charged with murder.

In a landmark case, helium indispensable present walk a minimum of 15 years successful situation connected apical of the 18 years and 11 months helium has already served.

Craig, of Brailsford Crescent, York, had admitted the onslaught connected Ms Kirk but denied being liable for her death.

Sentencing the 59-year-old astatine Bristol Crown Court earlier, Mrs Justice Stacey said Craig "repeatedly" replayed the torture country from the movie - wherever a constabulary serviceman is covered successful petrol - "with a imperishable grin" .

There was nary uncertainty you planned a "gratuitous" and "deliberate" onslaught connected the mother-of-two, she added.

"She was ever successful symptom and suffered from slump and nightmares, and was suicidal astatine times."

Ahead of sentencing, authoritative Richard Smith KC work retired statements from Ms Kirk which she gave to constabulary astatine her proceedings successful 2000.

She said that "nothing oregon nary magnitude of counselling could hole maine oregon did hole me" for the attack.

"I americium present a precise timid, shy and adjacent embarrassed person," she added.

"Why me? What I person I ever done to merit this condemnation connected my life?"

"Life contiguous is simply a changeless struggle."

Her lad Shane said his parent was a "strong-minded person" erstwhile helium was increasing up but determination were occasions erstwhile she had made immoderate mediocre beingness choices.

She began to alteration aft she started a narration with Craig, helium said.

She met him by accidental and gave Craig structure due to the fact that helium was homeless, but his power led her to cause and portion problems that she had antecedently conquered, helium said.

The tribunal heard Ms Kirk was truthful disfigured that her girl Sonna lone recognised her by her feet erstwhile she archetypal saw her successful hospital.

In a connection Sonna said she "spent 21 years of feeling grateful and thankful for each other time that I got to walk with my mum".

"From the precise beginning, erstwhile I was told that she would apt die, she managed to astonishment everyone and came done truthful much.

"She was capable to spot maine turn up into an adult, wherever I got joined and past went connected to person children, and truthful she became nanny Jackie.

"It has been 3 years since my mum died and during that clip portion of my beingness has been connected clasp due to the fact that I haven't had implicit closure.

"I person besides had to woody with the affectional trauma of going done a 2nd trial, lone this clip my mum is nary longer with me."