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| Somerset: Trial of man who set fire to girlfriend in 1998 | Somerset: Trial of man who set fire to girlfriend in 1998 |
| (8 days later) | |
| Jurors are told they must decide whether the burns played a significant part in Jacqueline Kirk's death | Jurors are told they must decide whether the burns played a significant part in Jacqueline Kirk's death |
| A man who set fire to his girlfriend is standing trial for her murder after she died 21 years later aged 62. | A man who set fire to his girlfriend is standing trial for her murder after she died 21 years later aged 62. |
| Steven Paul Craig, 58, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after pouring petrol over Jacqueline Kirk and setting her alight. | |
| He has served his sentence for setting fire to Ms Kirk in Dolphin Square, Weston-super-Mare, on 18 April 1998. | He has served his sentence for setting fire to Ms Kirk in Dolphin Square, Weston-super-Mare, on 18 April 1998. |
| She died with a ruptured diaphragm in 2019 and burns played a "significant" part in her death, the Crown says. | She died with a ruptured diaphragm in 2019 and burns played a "significant" part in her death, the Crown says. |
| Prosecutor Richard Smith KC told Bristol Crown Court earlier the severe burns Mr Craig inflicted on Ms Kirk, affecting 35% of her body, including her face, neck, chest, torso, thighs and buttocks, played a "significant" part in her death on 23 August 2019. | Prosecutor Richard Smith KC told Bristol Crown Court earlier the severe burns Mr Craig inflicted on Ms Kirk, affecting 35% of her body, including her face, neck, chest, torso, thighs and buttocks, played a "significant" part in her death on 23 August 2019. |
| Mr Smith told the jury: "Many years later, the injured woman died as a result, in part, of the injuries that this defendant had inflicted on this victim. | Mr Smith told the jury: "Many years later, the injured woman died as a result, in part, of the injuries that this defendant had inflicted on this victim. |
| "Therefore, we say that good sense and the law says that this defendant should be accountable for the full consequences of what he did. | "Therefore, we say that good sense and the law says that this defendant should be accountable for the full consequences of what he did. |
| "The prosecution say that this defendant can be described as having murdered the victim." | "The prosecution say that this defendant can be described as having murdered the victim." |
| Mr Smith said the main way in which the burns caused by Mr Craig contributed to Ms Kirk's death were that her skin could not stretch to accommodate the swelling of her intestines. | Mr Smith said the main way in which the burns caused by Mr Craig contributed to Ms Kirk's death were that her skin could not stretch to accommodate the swelling of her intestines. |
| "The second part, members of the jury, is that her condition - as a result of the injuries, played a part in the decision not to intervene with the operation to try to repair the diaphragm and attempt at least to save her life." | "The second part, members of the jury, is that her condition - as a result of the injuries, played a part in the decision not to intervene with the operation to try to repair the diaphragm and attempt at least to save her life." |
| Judge Mrs Justice Stacey told jurors they must decide whether the burns Ms Kirk suffered "played a significant part in the cause of her death some 20 years later" and to "put emotion aside to judge the case on the evidence". | Judge Mrs Justice Stacey told jurors they must decide whether the burns Ms Kirk suffered "played a significant part in the cause of her death some 20 years later" and to "put emotion aside to judge the case on the evidence". |
| Mr Craig, of Brailsford Crescent, York, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. | Mr Craig, of Brailsford Crescent, York, has pleaded not guilty to one count of murder. |
| The jury will hear from his defence lawyer later in the trial, which is expected to last three weeks. | The jury will hear from his defence lawyer later in the trial, which is expected to last three weeks. |
| The trial continues. | The trial continues. |