Reservoir Dogs obsessive is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend

Reservoir Dogs obsessive is found guilty of murdering his girlfriend who died of her injuries more than 20 years after he set her on fire to re-enact a scene from the film

• Steven Craig, 58, set mother-of-two Jacqueline Kirk on fire back in April 1998
• She suffered burns to 35% of her body, requiring a tracheotomy and operations
• Craig was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for that attack and two others
• But when Ms Kirk died in 2019 he was charged with murder and convicted today 

A man has been convicted of murdering his former partner after she died 21 years on from when he doused her with petrol and set her on fire, inspired by Reservoir Dogs.

Steven Craig, 58, is believed to have got the idea to set mother-of-two Jacqueline Kirk alight from the famous Quentin Tarantino movie.

He inflicted horrendous injuries to her in a car park in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, in April 1998.  

Ms Kirk was in hospital for nine months following the attack and suffered burns to 35% of her body, requiring a tracheotomy and operations including skin grafts.

In 2000, Craig was convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial at Bristol Crown Court and served more than 15 years in prison for that attack and two offences against a different woman.

But when Ms Kirk died from a ruptured diaphragm at the age of 61 in August 2019, Craig was arrested on suspicion of murder in July 2021.

Craig was convicted in 2000 of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after pouring petrol over Jacqueline and setting her on fire at Dolphin Square in Weston-super-Mare,

Jacqueline Kirk pictured in 2003 after the injuries Craig subjected her to in Weston in 1998

And today a jury at Bristol Crown Court unanimously convicted him of her murder following a three-week trial.

Richard Smith KC, prosecuting, told the court Craig had been handed a discretionary life sentence for his attack on Ms Kirk during previous proceedings.

He served more than 15 years in prison before being released but was recalled on two separate occasions.

Body worn video of Steven Craig’s arrest over the murder of Jacqueline Kirk after she died

The Reservoir Dogs scene when Michael Madsen (Mr Blonde) is torturing a police officer

‘We didn’t want her to be this person who suffered all these horrible things’ 

Jackie’s daughter Sonna paid tribute to her ‘strong-willed, strong-minded’ mother, who was opinionated, ‘funny and witty’

‘She was determined to be herself again,’ Sonna said.

‘It was a hard road. My brother spent a long time with her, supporting her. She rekindled old friendships.

‘That made a big, big difference because they helped her be the Jackie she was, and not a victim.

‘We didn’t want her to be this person who suffered all these horrible things, we wanted her to build her life and be herself again.’

Sonna said her mother loved being outdoors and had a puppy, Molly, who she would walk a couple of times each day. 

‘We were told that my mum wasn’t going to survive, the day we were told about the incident,’ she said.

‘Then we were told she wasn’t going to recover. As time went on she was finally released from hospital nine months later.

‘She went in and out of hospital after that. We were told she probably wouldn’t survive after 10 years.

‘So we made the most of it. Those 10 years came and went. She had her 50th birthday, which we never thought was going to happen.

‘Then she had her 60th birthday. She got to see her son get married and have a child. She got to see me get married and have children. ‘That was really important to us, to have our mum for those life events.’ 

This means he has spent 17 years and six months in total in prison and remains on life sentence, Mr Smith said.

Ms Kirk’s family shouted ‘yes’ and wept as the jury returned the verdict on Friday afternoon.

Mrs Justice Stacey thanked the jury for their work during the case.

The judge said: ‘By your verdict, you have ensured that justice has been done and there is closure for Ms Kirk’s family.

‘That is hugely important and it is your role over the past three weeks that has enabled that to happen.’

Craig, who was remanded in custody, will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on November 9.

Speaking after the verdict, Andrew Pritchard of the Crown Prosecution Service said Craig was now held responsible for the ‘full consequences’ of his actions.

‘When Stephen Craig was jailed in 2000 for causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Jacqueline Kirk, no-one knew that his actions would eventually lead to Jacqueline’s death,’ Mr Pritchard said.

‘As a result, the original sentence he served did not reflect the full consequences of his appalling actions.

‘The passage of time between the attack and Jacqueline’s death 21 years later made this a highly unusual and challenging case.

‘It meant that approval was needed from the Attorney General to proceed with a prosecution for murder.’

Her daughter Sonna paid tribute to her ‘strong-willed, strong-minded’ mother, who was opinionated, ‘funny and witty’.

‘She was determined to be herself again,’ Sonna said.

‘It was a hard road. My brother spent a long time with her, supporting her. She rekindled old friendships.

‘That made a big, big difference because they helped her be the Jackie she was, and not a victim.

‘We didn’t want her to be this person who suffered all these horrible things.

‘We wanted her to build her life and be herself again.’

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