24-year-old australian woman set friend on fire for making misogynistic remark: report

An Australian woman allegedly lit her longtime friend on fire because he made a misogynistic remark during a wild night of partying, a court heard earlier this month. Corbie Jean Walpole,

24, pleaded guilty in an Albury District Court to the arson attack on Jake Loader, 23, saying she felt “overwhelmed” by his antagonistic behavior throughout the night before she was finally

set off by a sexist remark he made during a house party in New South Wales last year, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Loader told Walpole “she should stay in the

kitchen making scones” if she couldn’t handle drinking with the boys, which sent the 24-year-old into a rage, the court heard, according to the outlet. She grabbed a gallon of gasoline from

the garage and doused Loader with the flammable substance — waving a lighter at him threateningly, the publication reported. “Go on, do it,” Loader yelled at his friend, who was drunk and

had consumed cocaine, she confessed. EXPLORE MORE Walpole then touched him with the lighter, setting Loader ablaze, according to the testimony. Loader sustained burns to 55% of his body —

and had some of his sweat glands burned off. He was put in a medically induced coma for eight days after the attack, according to a victim impact statement read in court. He required 10

operations and spent 74 days in a burn unit at a Melbourne hospital, according to the statement. The friend cannot step outside into the sun because of the extensive epidermal damage, the

statement said. Walpole told the court that she had been abusing drugs and alcohol since a break-up in 2022 and regretted the heartless act. The firebug claimed during the trial that she was

pushed to the edge by Loader, who tried to wrestle with her and was being continuously antagonistic throughout the night, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. “To this day I

feel horrible, remorseful, guilty for what I have done to Jake, not only Jake but his family, his loved ones, his mutual friends … anyone who has been impacted in this entire case,” Walpole

told the court, according to the outlet. “I find it very hard to believe the injuries that were caused was from my doing,” Walpole said, adding, “I would do anything to go back in time.” She

pleaded guilty to one charge of burning or maiming by using corrosive fluid, the ABC reported. Walpole is due back in court this month for sentencing.