Woman Jailed After Setting Friend Ablaze Over “Stay in the Kitchen” Remark
A shocking incident has led to a woman pleading guilty after dousing her longtime friend in flammable liquid and setting him on fire, reportedly following a misogynistic comment. The victim, 23-year-old Jake Loader, suffered life-threatening burns over 55% of his body after Corby Gene Walpole ignited the lighter and touched him with it, turning him into a human candle.
The horrific event took place on January 7th of last year at a house after a chaotic night of drinking and drugs. Walpole and Loader had been partying with friends and returned to the backyard around 5:00 a.m. to continue drinking. Both were heavily intoxicated, and Walpole had also used “booger sugar” throughout the night. According to court reports, Loader allegedly antagonized Walpole, attempting to wrestle with her and waking her sleeping boyfriend.
The incident escalated when Loader reportedly told Walpole she should “stay in the kitchen making scones if she couldn’t handle drinking with the boys”. Walpole told the court she felt overwhelmed and didn’t know how to handle this behavior. Despite claiming depression and battling substance issues at the time, her response was to leave the table, retrieve a 5 L petrol container from the garage, pour it on Loader, and then ignite him when he reportedly said, “Go on, do it”.
Loader was placed in a medically induced coma for 8 days and spent 74 days in the burn unit. He has undergone 10 operations and continues to face lasting effects, including the inability to expose his skin to the sun, difficulty regulating body temperature due to damaged sweat glands, and severe financial hardship. In his victim impact statement read in court, Loader wrote, “The attack not only hurt me, it hurt everyone who cared about me”.
Walpole recently appeared in court for sentencing on May 22nd. She had admitted to one count of burning or maming using a corrosive fluid. She appeared tearful in court, expressing deep remorse, stating, “To this day, I feel horrible, remorseful, guilty. for what I’ve done to Jake”. However, she also stated, “I find it very hard to believe the injuries that were caused were from my doing”. In court, she claimed Loader was “really pushing my buttons”. The court also heard she experienced nightmares and traumatic reactions whenever she smells fuel after the incident.
During sentencing, the judge described Walpole’s behavior as an act of “immediate, destructive, and horrific acts”. However, the sentence handed down was 7 years with a minimum of four and a half. Walpole is reportedly eligible for parole as early as November 11th, 2029, which is only four years. The judge commented during sentencing that “it’s not easy to send a young person, particularly a woman, to jail,” a remark that has drawn significant criticism. Some have argued that the sentence is “ridiculous” and “insane” considering the life-altering injuries inflicted.
The case has sparked strong reactions, with some online commentators seemingly supporting Walpole or making excuses for her actions, while others are appalled by the perceived leniency of the sentence. Regardless of the varying opinions, the fact remains that a man was severely burned and permanently scarred over a verbal remark made during a night of heavy intoxication. Walpole has pleaded guilty and received her sentence, but the devastating physical and emotional toll on Jake Loader and his family continues.
