Man suffers 55% burns after being set on fire by woman he told ‘Stay in kitchen'
An Australian woman has pleaded guilty to dousing her longtime friend in petrol and setting him on fire during a night of heavy partying after he made a misogynistic comment, a court heard earlier this month.
According to a report by ABC News, Corbie Jean Walpole, 24, admitted to one count of burning or maiming using corrosive fluid after the horrific attack on Jake Loader, 23, at a house in New South Wales, on January 7 last year. The two had been friends for years, but tensions reportedly boiled over during the early hours of a chaotic night of drinking and drug use.
The Albury District Court heard that both Walpole and Loader had been partying with friends in Howlong and returned to her backyard around 5am to continue drinking. The group was heavily intoxicated, and Walpole had also taken cocaine.
Throughout the night, Loader allegedly antagonised Walpole, attempting to wrestle with her and waking her sleeping boyfriend. She told the court she felt overwhelmed and didn't know how to handle his behaviour.
The court heard that Corbie Jean Walpole had been depressed and battling substance abuse at the time of the incident.
The situation on January 7 escalated when Loader reportedly told her that she should 'stay in the kitchen making scones' if she couldn't handle drinking with the boys. That sexist remark pushed Walpole over the edge.
She left the table, went to the garage, and returned with a five-litre petrol container. She poured it on Loader and waved a lighter at him.
'Go on, do it,' Loader said — and Walpole did. She ignited the lighter and touched him with it, setting him alight.
Loader suffered life-threatening burns to 55% of his body. He was placed in a medically induced coma for eight days and spent 74 days in the burns unit at Melbourne's Alfred Hospital. He underwent 10 operations and continues to face lasting effects: he cannot expose his skin to the sun, has trouble regulating body temperature due to damage to his sweat glands, and has experienced severe financial hardship, according to the ABC News report.
'This attack did not only hurt me, it hurt everyone who cared about me,' Loader wrote in a victim impact statement read in court.
Walpole appeared tearful in court on May 8, expressing deep remorse for her actions.
'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,' she said. 'I find it very hard to believe the injuries that were caused was from my doing. I would do anything to go back in time.
'No one deserves what happened to Jake and I can't imagine the pain — both physically and emotionally — that I've caused him and his family,' she said.
(Also read: 20-year-old Noida man suffers 35% burn, hospitalised after toilet seat explodes. No, it wasn't due to any gadget)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Journalists among the injured in LA as ICE protests grow violent
* Over 30 incidents of 'police violence' against journalists tracked by LA Press Club * Australia reporter hit by less-lethal munitions * Press Club official cites inadequate training as possible factor June 11 - Journalists have been among those injured during protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles in recent days, as police clashed with crowds of protesters and fired less-lethal munitions to disperse them. Since confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement first flared over the weekend, more than 30 cases of "police violence" against journalists while covering the protests have been reported, according to a database maintained by the Los Angeles Press Club. The press club includes physical violence as well as efforts to impair journalists' coverage, such as nonconsensual bag searches, in the category. It updates its database with reports from journalists and incidents reported on social media. Some of the incidents have resulted in injuries. Lauren Tomasi, U.S. correspondent for 9News Australia, was hit by a projectile while reporting live in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday. Tomasi had her back to police and was speaking into the camera when an officer pointed a weapon toward her and fired it, according to a video of the incident. Toby Canham, a freelance photographer working for the New York Post, said he was struck by a projectile on Sunday, resulting in a bruised forehead. In an interview he said the projectile, which was "hard and rubbery," knocked him to the ground. The Post published an image shot by Canham showing a law enforcement official that he said had fired at him from about 100 yards away. Tomasi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Matt Stanton, CEO of 9News parent company Nine, in a statement called the incident 'shocking' and emphasized the need for a formal investigation. A photo editor at the New York Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The press club said it was aware of 20 injuries to journalists during the LA protests, including at least five that required medical attention. While Reuters established that at least two journalists were injured, the news agency could not independently confirm whether Tomasi or Canham were targeted because they are journalists. Reuters also could not confirm the press club's figures. In remarks to Australia's National Press Club on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tomasi was targeted as a journalist and that Australia has raised the issue with the Trump administration. An LD spokesperson did not confirm it had launched an investigation into the Tomasi incident, but highlighted a press release stating that its professional standards bureau 'will be investigating allegations of excessive force and other issues related to LD actions during the protests.' It is unclear whether those allegations relate to Tomasi. Other journalists included in the database said they were tear-gassed alongside protesters, kept in a small area, or had their bags searched by law enforcement without their consent. Asked about the incidents involving journalists, a White House spokesperson highlighted the risks to law enforcement officers and the public. 'Whenever violent, left-wing rioters engage in lawless behavior, they put innocent bystanders at risk," White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement. She added that Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass "refused to quell the violent riots" and are "directly responsible for putting civilians in harm's way." Spokespeople for Newsom and Bass did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Bass, a Democrat, has said protests have been "largely peaceful", but there have also been incidents of protesters hurling projectiles at police, burning cars and looting. INADEQUATE TRAINING? Adam Rose, the press club's press rights chair, said the volume of incidents involving members of the media over just four days is unprecedented in Los Angeles. The high frequency could reflect a number of factors, including inadequate training of both law enforcement and journalists, Rose said. Canham, the freelance photographer who was injured and who previously served in the British Army, described a scene in which people were throwing water bottles at law enforcement before an officer "deliberately aimed" at him. "My main point is, please positively ID a target before you shoot," he told Reuters. Since Los Angeles relies heavily on transportation by car, law enforcement officials have a large responsibility to move protesters out of the way to allow traffic to flow, said Katherine Jacobsen, the U.S., Canada and Caribbean program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists. The priority for moving traffic could create more opportunities for conflict between police and journalists, she said. Commentators on the right have taken to social media attacking coverage by some outlets, saying they were at times intentionally downplaying the protests. It was unclear if that criticism had any impact on the number of incidents involving journalists. Trump has said protesters have spit on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday that ICE officers had been targeted in recent days and doxxed, the practice of publicizing private information for malicious reasons. Reuters could not confirm these incidents. GEORGE FLOYD PROTESTS The LA protests are not the first time journalists including some from Reuters covering U.S. civil unrest have suffered injuries, whether by accident or through deliberate attacks. The number of physical assaults on members of the media spiked in 2020, the year nationwide Black Lives Matter protests erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to Press Freedom Tracker, which describes itself as a nonpartisan news website and database. In subsequent years, assaults on journalists have moderated, the Press Freedom Tracker shows. Before the recent unrest in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities, only a handful of such cases have been logged by the database this year.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
The ‘Global shadow pandemic' we still don't talk about
She is a tech entrepreneur, author, and relentless advocate for gender equality in STEM and beyond. Over the past 20 years, she had immersed herself in the fast-paced world of technology and AI, building innovative products and leading initiatives that challenge the status quo. LESS ... MORE If one-third of men worldwide were being assaulted, it would be declared a global emergency. So why isn't it – when that's the reality for women? Violence against women and girls is not a sidebar to global crises. It is the crisis. And it's been going on long before COVID, conflicts, or climate collapse. Gender-based violence (GBV) is the world's oldest, quietest, and deadliest pandemic, a daily emergency hiding in plain sight. More than one in three women globally have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Let that sink in. This figure hasn't changed much in decades, despite increased awareness and policy talk. From domestic abuse and sexual assault to child marriage, trafficking, female genital mutilation and online harassment, the forms of violence vary, but the pattern doesn't. Across cultures, classes, and countries, being female still comes with a built-in risk factor. How can women fully participate in society or enjoy their rights if they cannot even feel safe in their own homes or communities? The most dangerous place for a woman? Home. Not long ago, I found my house help standing in the kitchen, arm swollen, face bruised, silence louder than any scream. Her husband, an addict, had beaten her again. For money. When I asked why she stayed, she said, 'Where will I go with my children? A woman without a man isn't just judged, she lives under the weight of every prying eye.' This is not an isolated story. It's the everyday reality for millions of women, some visible, many invisible. And the most damning part? The system expects them to endure. We often frame safety in terms of war or street crime. But for women, the front line is usually home. According to the UN, 137 women are killed every day by a family member. That's one woman murdered every 11 minutes, by someone she likely trusted. This isn't poetic metaphor. It's femicide. And it makes clear that the so-called 'war on women' is more than a slogan; in many places, it's a chilling reality. In 2022, only 57% of women across 139 countries felt safe walking alone at night in their neighbourhood, according to the SDG Gender Index. Which means nearly half the world's women feel unsafe just… existing. Alone. After dark. And, crises don't create misogyny, they expose it Violence doesn't pause for a pandemic or war. In fact, crises accelerate it. During COVID-19 lockdowns, domestic violence helplines reported a 30–50% surge in calls as women were trapped with their abusers. In conflict zones, from Ukraine to Tigray, rape is still used as a weapon of war. And after natural disasters like floods or wildfires, domestic abuse spikes dramatically. One Australian study after the 2009 bushfires, found that women in affected areas reported significantly higher rates of abuse. The formula is disturbingly predictable: stress, instability, displacement, and broken safety nets become breeding grounds for violence. Where systems crack, misogyny leaks in. Patriarchy writes the rules, and women pay the price At its core, gender-based violence is powered by unequal power – structural, cultural, and legal. In societies where men's authority is unquestioned and women's subservience is expected, violence becomes normalised. Take this: more than one in four countries still don't have explicit laws protecting women from domestic violence. In some places, marital rape isn't even considered a crime. In others, rapists can escape punishment by marrying their victims. These aren't legal loopholes. They are permission slips. Even where laws exist, they're often toothless. Survivors face stigma, disbelief, and a justice system more interested in their character than their complaint. Globally, less than 40% of women who experience violence report it or seek help, not because it's rare, but because justice feels out of reach. And then there's the culture: 'Why didn't she leave?' 'What was she wearing?' 'Why did she provoke him?' Questions like these aren't just ignorant – they're complicit. A broken system that costs lives, and billions This isn't just a women's issue. It's a societal collapse in slow motion. The World Bank estimates that intimate partner violence alone costs countries around 3% of their GDP, as much as diseases like HIV/AIDS. Survivors lose jobs, education, health, and social networks. Children exposed to violence carry emotional trauma for life and are more likely to replicate it. Even peace is at risk. Research shows that the best predictor of a country's peacefulness is how it treats its women. Where women are unsafe, societies are unstable. Laws are not enough. Culture needs surgery There's no denying progress. The global response to #MeToo made sexual violence a mainstream issue. More countries are outlawing street harassment and even marital rape. Grassroots activism is louder than ever. But laws on paper mean nothing if they're unfunded, unenforced, or undermined. Here's what real progress must look like: Make laws that scare abusers, not survivors Every form of GBV should be criminalised: from physical assault to digital stalking and economic abuse. Police, prosecutors, and judges need gender-sensitive training, and fast-tracked GBV courts can help survivors get justice without being re-traumatised. Shelters aren't luxury, they're lifelines Shelters, hotlines, trauma counselling, legal aid, these aren't optional. They're critical infrastructure. And yet in many countries, there are only a handful of safe houses for millions of women. That's not just neglect. It's structural indifference. Raise better boys before we raise the next law We need gender education in schools. Boys and girls must learn about consent, respect, and relationships that don't rely on power or control. Public campaigns must flip the blame from victim to perpetrator, where it belongs. Call out the power brokers who excuse violence When a politician jokes about sexual assault or a religious leader preaches female submission, that isn't rhetoric, it's rot. Leaders must be held to a higher standard. Every country should have a national action plan on GBV, with transparent goals and public tracking. Technology can save, or destroy, lives Tech is a double-edged sword. On one side, apps and SMS helplines now allow discreet calls for help. On the other, online harassment is skyrocketing, and surveillance tech like stalking apps are being weaponised by abusers. As the digital world grows, so must our protections. There's progress, but it's not inevitable The good news? Attitudes are shifting. In the last decade, the number of women who believe domestic violence is justifiable has declined significantly in many regions. In countries like Rwanda, integrated legal reform and women's empowerment programs have driven down abuse rates. But this shift didn't happen by accident. It happened because people, policies, and pressure converged. No safety, no progress. Period. Let's be clear: we cannot talk about economic empowerment, political participation, or digital inclusion for women if they're not even safe. Safety is not a luxury. It's the floor on which every other right stands. The SDG Gender Index calls safety a prerequisite for equality. But governments still treat GBV like a 'women's issue' instead of the full-blown security and development crisis that it is. Until we treat GBV like a pandemic, with urgency, funding, and political will, millions of women and gender-diverse people will remain on the front lines of a war they never signed up for. In the next article in this series, we'll turn to a crisis reshaping the ground beneath us -Climate change. From floods to food insecurity, why women and girls are the most vulnerable to a crisis they didn't cause, and why gender justice must be at the heart of climate action. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
'Somebody's paying them': Donald Trump says Los Angeles protests are being funded; watch video
LA protesters are 'Paid insurrectionists', says Donald Trump US President Donald Trump on Tuesday made a bold claim that the violent demonstrations in Los Angeles are being funded. Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said, "Somebody's financing it. We're going to find out through [Attorney General] Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice who it is. " The president described the unrest in Los Angeles as a "full-blown assault on peace, on public order and on national sovereignty," and said those involved were not ordinary citizens but "paid insurrectionists." "These are paid troublemakers. They're agitators. They're paid," Trump repeated. Trump claimed that something so large in scale and resource-heavy during the protests must have been planned. "Do you think somebody walks up to a kerb and starts hammering pieces out, has all the equipment necessary and starts handing it out to people to use as a weapon?" the MAGA chief said. This statement followed Trump's decision to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 US Marines to the streets of Los Angeles after days of violent protests sparked by federal immigration raids. The president said the military deployment was necessary to protect federal assets, while critics, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and accused him of escalating tensions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "It's common sense... when there's no danger they'll leave. You would have had a horrible situation unless I sent them," Trump said. "You'd be reporting on a lot of death and a lot of destruction." However, California officials say the federal response has worsened the situation. Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in downtown LA, citing looting of 23 businesses and widespread property damage. Newsom, who has taken legal action to block the deployment, said, "Trump is turning the US military against American citizens. The courts must immediately block these illegal actions." A separate controversy erupted when Trump claimed to have spoken with Newsom to tell him to "do a better job". The governor denied any such conversation took place, saying, "There was no call. Not even a voicemail." Trump later accused Newsom of lying and showed Fox News a call log indicating a 16-minute call took place on June 7, not June 9 as he had earlier claimed, reports the Telegraph. Meanwhile, journalists covering the protests have reported being tear-gassed, shot with rubber bullets, or briefly detained. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the treatment of reporter Lauren Tomasi, calling her experience "horrific." Trump is reportedly using the protests to promote his immigration bill in Congress, with aides describing the moment as a political opportunity to rally support.
