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

New York Post

21-05-2025

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.
3 Corbie Jean Walpole, 24, pleaded guilty to lighting her friend on fire after he made a misogynistic remark on Jan. 7, 2024, according to a report.
Corbie Jean Walpole/Instagram
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Loader told Walpole 'she should stay in the kitchen making scones' if she couldn't handle drinking with the boys, which set 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.
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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 burnt off. He was placed 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 Melbourne hospital, according to the statement.
3 Jake Loader, 23, suffered burns to 55% of his body and was in a medically induced coma for eight days after the attack.
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The betrayed 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.
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3 Walpole told the court that she was drunk and high on cocaine when she doused Loader with gasoline and lit him on fire.
Corbie Jean Walpole/Instagram
'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.