Raymond Bowen has been sentenced to 19 year in jail for the attempted murder of his neighbour, who he set alight.
Raymond Bowen has been sentenced to 19 year in jail for the attempted murder of his neighbour, who he set alight.
The family of a Good Samaritan who was doused in petrol that turned her into a human fireball has slammed her attacker's girlfriend for standing by him.
Raymond Bowen blew a kiss in court to his lover Lauren Russell as he was jailed for 19 years for the sickening attempted murder of Kirsten Ashby, 27.
Kirsten received burns to 32 per cent of her body and has been left with no finger tips, no ears, layers of her skin on her face melted away and her hair burned away.
As she lies in a hospital bed trying to rebuild her shattered life, Kirsten mother Lynn Ashby blasted Russell for supporting the father of her five children while her daughter suffers a life sentence.
Lynn Ashby, 51, told MailOnline: "I think it's sick that she's standing by him.
"Now my daughter is the one left serving a life sentence. She's in isolation in hospital and she thinks she might never even be able to hold her own daughter's hand again after her hands were so badly damaged."
She continued: "She's already had 80 operations and she'll continue having surgery for the rest of her life.
"We're looking after her 9-year-old daughter Madison and we're all having to move out of our family home over this. Kirsten did a good deed for Lauren and this is how she's been repaid."
Lauren Russell, 22, had a fit on November 17 last year and Kirsten went next door to help her – but Bowen flew into a rage when Kirsten suggested calling an ambulance.
Bowen, who had taken cocaine and drunk a bottle of Jack Daniels, fetched petrol from the shed and doused the top half of Kirsten's body before setting her alight with his lighter. He stood 'smugly' smoking a cigarette as his victim's face melted away to leave her completely unrecognisable after she sustained third-degree burns in the completely unprovoked attack.
The attack was witnessed by Russell and two of their youngest children who were standing by the door.
Kirsten Ashby, pictured in 2015, has had 80 operations so far and is currently still in hospital.
Kirsten's father Paul, 54, said: "Her lasting memory is the click of a lighter and we think he threw it at her. He stood there watching her desperately try to put out the flames. He's never once shown any regrets at all for what he's done."
It took another neighbour to come in and call an ambulance after realising that there was an almost unrecognisable charred body on the floor after Bowen fled the scene.
Kirsten was rushed to hospital where a priest read her last rites as she wasn't expected to make it through the night.
Her mum cried as she said: "Why would someone even do something like that to someone?
"At hospital she had life-saving surgery and I got a priest to read her last rites.
"Kirsten was in a coma and she can remember feeling like she was falling. But she suddenly thought about Madison [her daughter] and that she had to get back to her, so she fought back. That's the only reason why she's alive today."
Kirsten remains under the care of London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital where she faces a struggle for the rest of her life. She is currently in isolation due to an infection with constant surgery and skin grafting to rebuild her face and body.
Lynn went on: "Madison is out of school over this and living with us. We're all having to move house as a family for fear of reprisals. We don't even know yet when Kirsten will be fit enough to leave hospital.
"Kirsten worries that her hands are so disfigured - she can only use her little fingers and thumbs – that she'll never be able to hold her daughter's hand again. But Madison just thinks her mum is a 'superhero' and she's been absolutely amazing with her when she's been in to see her."
Paul added: "I don't think about Bowen. But it would be nice if just once he showed some remorse for what he's done, instead of just feeling sorry for himself because he can't see his kids.
"Kirsten is in isolation in hospital and she can barely see her daughter. When she hasn't even done anything wrong."
A fundraising page set up for the Ashby family has raised £25,044 ($49,000) in four months.
