Stephen Craig, 58, doused Jacqueline Kirk in petrol and set her alight in a car park in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset in April 1998. He served more than 18 years in prison for the attack, but after her death in August 2019 he was re-arrested and charged with her murder. He was found guilty of this charge by a jury at Bristol Crown Court last month. Sentencing on Thursday, Judge Ms Justice Stacey described Craig’s behavior as “sadistic” and the attack as “planned and premeditated”, handing him a total minimum term of 34 years. “Your behavior was sadistic – you deliberately set her head and chest on fire as you did,” she told him. “Anyone who uses petrol should know the level of seriousness of their actions. It was so cruel and so brutal.” He added: “You had no intention of killing Jacquie. But in your case that almost paled into insignificance because the risk of her dying from what you did to her was so obvious.” Craig’s trial heard the 1998 attack resulted in 35% burns to Ms Kirk’s body and required 14 operations, including skin grafts and a tracheotomy. She lived to be 61 and was able to see both of her children marry and become grandmothers. But she died the next day after being admitted to the Royal Bath Hospital in 2019, with doctors refusing to operate on her because of her frailty. Image: Jacqueline Kirk is pictured after her operations The victim was a ‘remarkable and impressive woman’ Ms Justice Stacey paid tribute to Ms Kirk, who was only expected to live 10 years because of her injuries but “against the odds she survived for more than twice that”. “With the help of her family, she was determined to live as full a life as she could,” he said. “What a remarkable and impressive woman she must have been.” But because of the extent of her injuries, she was a “half-life,” which made her suicidal at times, she said. “He was always in pain and suffered from depression and nightmares. “Her injuries and disfigurement were horrific. Breathing was difficult, eating and drinking was difficult. “She suffered street abuse due to the extent of the scars on her face.” I enjoyed watching the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs Detailing the build-up to the 1998 attack, the judge said Ms Kirk had taken Craig into her home when he was homeless and struggling with drink and drugs. After entering into a relationship, he was often violent, “smashing her cheekbone” on one occasion and “frequently threatening to kill her”. Three days before the petrol attack, he had locked her in a train station toilet, leaving her trapped for hours before a cleaner let her out. Craig often watched a torture scene from the film Reservoir Dogs, the judge said, adding: “You liked to act like the characters in the film.” The pair were traveling from Bath to Plymouth when they stopped in Weston-super-Mare, the court heard. Image: Steven Craig in his 1998 police photo During the car journey, Craig tortured Kirk with a false story that a hitman named “Charlie” from York was coming to kill her. “She was very scared because she knew your capacity for violence,” Ms Stacey said. “There’s no doubt you planned to engage in a monstrous attack on that road trip by whatever means at your disposal.” After stopping at a gas station to fill a coke bottle with fuel, Craig punched Mrs Kirk in the face and poured petrol over her head. She got out of the car, thinking it would be safer, and he teased her by asking if she wanted a cigarette. Mrs Kirk was set on fire by a lighter and fell to the ground, the court heard. When the police got involved, Craig “lied” to them, the judge said, and was more concerned for his own safety than his victim’s. Previous convictions, including rape and GBH of another partner After spending seven months in hospital and hearing he had committed rape and grievous bodily harm against another woman he was in a relationship with, Ms Kirk told police what had happened, the court heard. Craig, who will have to serve at least 15 years before being considered for parole by the parole board, had a string of previous convictions. His trial was told he was a drug addict by the time he was 21 and despite expressing a “desire to be abstinent” while in prison, he had often blamed alcohol and sometimes his victims for his crimes. Prosecutor Richard Smith KC told jurors they did not need to find that Ms Kirk’s injuries were the main cause of her death – just that their contribution was “more than minimal”. Craig admitted responsibility for the attack – but not her death. If he is ever released, he will be on furlough for the rest of his life.
title: “Steven Craig Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Murdering His Girlfriend Who Died 21 Years After Setting Her On Fire Uk News " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-14” author: “Kim Gimbel”
Stephen Craig, 58, doused Jacqueline Kirk in petrol and set her alight in a car park in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset in April 1998. He served more than 18 years in prison for the attack, but after her death in August 2019 he was re-arrested and charged with her murder. He was found guilty of this charge by a jury at Bristol Crown Court last month. Sentencing on Thursday, Judge Ms Justice Stacey described Craig’s behavior as “sadistic” and the attack as “planned and premeditated”, handing him a total minimum term of 34 years. “Your behavior was sadistic – you deliberately set her head and chest on fire as you did,” she told him. “Anyone who uses petrol should know the level of seriousness of their actions. It was so cruel and so brutal.” Image: Steven Craig and Jacqueline Kirk. Photo: PA/SWNS He added: “You had no intention of killing Jacquie. But in your case that almost paled into insignificance because the risk of her dying from what you did to her was so obvious.” Craig’s trial heard the 1998 attack resulted in 35% burns to Ms Kirk’s body and required 14 operations, including skin grafts and a tracheotomy. She lived to be 61 and was able to see both of her children marry and become grandmothers. But she died the next day after being admitted to the Royal Bath Hospital in 2019, with doctors refusing to operate on her because of her frailty. Image: Jacqueline Kirk is pictured after her operations The victim was a ‘remarkable and impressive woman’ Ms Justice Stacey paid tribute to Ms Kirk, who was only expected to live 10 years because of her injuries but “against the odds she survived for more than twice that”. “With the help of her family, she was determined to live as full a life as she could,” he said. “What a remarkable and impressive woman she must have been.” But because of the extent of her injuries, she was a “half-life,” which made her suicidal at times, she said. “He was always in pain and suffered from depression and nightmares. “Her injuries and disfigurement were horrific. Breathing was difficult, eating and drinking was difficult. “She suffered street abuse due to the extent of the scars on her face.” I enjoyed watching the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs Detailing the build-up to the 1998 attack, the judge said Ms Kirk had taken Craig into her home when he was homeless and struggling with drink and drugs. After entering into a relationship, he was often violent, “smashing her cheekbone” on one occasion and “frequently threatening to kill her”. Three days before the petrol attack, he had locked her in a train station toilet, leaving her trapped for hours before a cleaner let her out. Craig often watched a torture scene from the film Reservoir Dogs, the judge said, adding: “You liked to act like the characters in the film.” The pair were traveling from Bath to Plymouth when they stopped in Weston-super-Mare, the court heard. Image: Steven Craig in his 1998 police photo During the car journey, Craig tortured Mrs Kirk with a false story that a hitman called ‘Charlie’ from York was coming to kill her. “She was very scared because she knew your capacity for violence,” Ms Stacey said. “There’s no doubt you planned to engage in a monstrous attack on that road trip by whatever means at your disposal.” After stopping at a gas station to fill a coke bottle with fuel, Craig punched Mrs Kirk in the face and poured petrol over her head. She got out of the car, thinking it would be safer, and he teased her by asking if she wanted a cigarette. Mrs Kirk was set on fire by a lighter and fell to the ground, the court heard. When the police got involved, Craig “lied” to them, the judge said, and was more concerned for his own safety than his victim’s. Previous convictions, including rape and GBH of another partner After spending seven months in hospital and hearing he had committed rape and grievous bodily harm against another woman he was in a relationship with, Ms Kirk told police what had happened, the court heard. Craig, who will have to serve at least 15 years before being considered for parole by the parole board, had a string of previous convictions. His trial was told he was a drug addict by the time he was 21 and despite expressing a “desire to be abstinent” while in prison, he had often blamed alcohol and sometimes his victims for his crimes. Prosecutor Richard Smith KC told jurors they did not need to find that Ms Kirk’s injuries were the main cause of her death – just that their contribution was “more than minimal”. Craig admitted responsibility for the attack – but not her death. If he is ever released, he will be on furlough for the rest of his life.
