Man set on fire over handbag row

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8225675.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A woman has been found guilty of attempting to murder a transvestite in Birmingham who was severely burnt in a row over a missing handbag.

Brazilian Gabryela Passos, 29, set Ricardo da Silva alight after showering him with petrol at his flat in Digbeth, Birmingham Crown Court heard.

He suffered burns to 70% of his body in the attack after a Louis Vuitton bag and other items were lost in December.

Raphael Modesto, 22, was found not guilty of attempted murder.

Mr Modesto, of Villiers Street, Charing Cross, London, was also acquitted of arson with intent to endanger life.

Douse flames

Passos, of Hogarth Street, Earls Court, London, set the victim alight after putting £3 of petrol into a bucket in the early hours of 9 December.

Following the attack, the prosecutor said Mr da Silva, a 25-year-old Brazilian, tried to douse the flames in his shower before banging on neighbours' doors while still on fire.

He was initially given less than a 50% chance of survival and underwent 16 operations during three months in hospital, the court heard.

Passos will be sentenced for attempted murder at the court in October on a date to be fixed.