A man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his partner, Jacqueline Kirk, who died 21 years after he doused her with petrol and set her on fire. Steven Craig, 58, was convicted of murder at Bristol Crown Court, with a minimum term of 15 years, taking into account the nearly 19 years he had already served for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The attack occurred in a car park in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, in 1998. Craig, inspired by a torture scene from the film Reservoir Dogs, poured petrol over Kirk's head and ignited it. Kirk suffered severe burns and required 14 operations, including a tracheotomy and skin grafts. She died in August 2019 at the age of 61 due to complications from her scarring.
Judge Mrs Justice Stacey described the attack as 'sadistic, planned and premeditated,' noting that Craig had previously doused Kirk with petrol in their bedroom and was coercive and abusive. Kirk's daughter, Sonna, recalled the shock of seeing her mother in hospital, while her son, Shane, said people would shout 'freak' at her.
Craig was arrested again in June 2021 after Kirk's death. The prosecution argued that her injuries made a 'more than minimal contribution' to her death. Permission to charge Craig with murder was granted by then-Attorney General Suella Braverman. The Crown Prosecution Service said it was not aware of any similar case in England where a murder prosecution occurred so many years after the unlawful act.
