Mother sets fire to her daughter's gloating rapist

The Sunday Telegraph (UK) ^ | June 26, 2005 | By Peter Upton in Alicante

[aculeus]

A Spanish mother has taken revenge on the man who raped her 13-year-old daughter at knifepoint by dousing him in petrol and setting him alight. He died of his injuries in hospital on Friday.

Antonio Cosme Velasco Soriano, 69, had been sent to jail for nine years in 1998, but was let out on a three-day pass and returned to his home town of Benejúzar, 30 miles south of Alicante, on the Costa Blanca.

While there, he passed his victim's mother in the street and allegedly taunted her about the attack. He is said to have called out "How's your daughter?", before heading into a crowded bar.

Shortly after, the woman walked into the bar, poured a bottle of petrol over Soriano and lit a match. She watched as the flames engulfed him, before walking out.

The woman fled to Alicante, where she was arrested the same evening. When she appeared in court the next day in the town of Orihuela, she was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

A judge ordered her to be held in prison and undergo psychiatric tests, provoking anger from friends and neighbours, who have set up a petition calling for her release.

Soriano suffered 60 per cent burns in the attack on June 13 and was airlifted to a specialist unit. He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries.

It is understood that the woman, who cannot be named because of laws safeguarding the identity of rape victims, claims to have no recollection of the attack which took place in the Bar Mary, just 300 yards from the family home.

As decorators painted over the blackened walls of his bar last week, Antonio Ferrendez Lopez told how Soriano had walked in at lunchtime.

"The place was packed with people eating. I was sitting at a table and Soriano was standing at the bar very close to me when the woman walked in," he said. "She didn't acknowledge anyone but walked up to Soriano, who was drinking a coffee, put her hand on his shoulder and turned him round to face her.

"Then she pulled the bottle she was carrying from under her arm and began to tip it over him. At first I didn't realise what was happening, but then I smelt the petrol. I jumped up and tried to grab her, but when she struck a match I got clear.

"The petrol was in a pool around Soriano, and she threw the match into it. It ignited with a whoosh, and he screamed and staggered about covered in flames. As people rushed outside to escape the flames, she just looked at him, then turned and walked away."

Customers helped Mr Lopez put out the fire with extinguishers and doused Soriano with water until paramedics arrived.

Soriano's attack on the woman's teenage daughter took place in 1998. The girl was going to buy a loaf of bread when Soriano snatched her from the street, threatened her with a knife and raped her. Her mother is said to have suffered mental illness ever since.

Soriano was convicted of the rape and ordered to serve 13 years in jail. The sentence was later reduced to nine years on appeal.

The woman's lawyer, Joaquín Galant, told The Sunday Telegraph last night: "The family has suffered a double tragedy. First the attack on their daughter and now this. Both the father and his daughter would like to express their sadness at the death of Soriano."

Earlier, Mr Galant said that the woman did not deserve to be kept in prison. "For seven years she has been deeply affected by what was done to her daughter," he said. "This man, fresh from prison and asking how her daughter was, might be considered to have provoked her."

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[jocon307]

"[S]he was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

Let me add: GOOD JOB!

[conservative cat]

Don't blame her even the tiniest. I give her credit for being that creative. I would have just kicked him. Kudos to her for doing that.

[RichInOC]

You know, this shouldn't really be funny...but it is.

[Texas Mom]

He needed killin..

[cripplecreek]

Justice really is a mother.

[Luircin]

Why didn't he react when she was pouring the gas over him?

[bad company]

He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries

Bet that was fun.

[ikka]

"This man, fresh from prison and asking how her daughter was, might be considered to have provoked her."

I agree.

[LdSentinal]

He was at a bar at the time. He probably liked the free alcohol before he realized he was about to become a 'Human Torch.'

[cripplecreek]

"He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries


Bet that was fun."




ROTFLMAO

[asp1]

I probably shouldn't say this but: "Bravo!!"

[Nateman]

Not the hot time he was hoping for.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Antonio Cosme Velasco Soriano, 69, had been sent to jail for nine years in 1998,
but was let out on a three-day pass and returned to his home town of Benejúzar

Miguel Dukakis?

[cripplecreek]

Revenge is a dish best served REALLY hot.

[Viking2002]

I hope his joystick got third-degree burns and gangrene set in before he finally went Tango Uniform.

[litehaus]

BRAVO! To bad there cannot be an encore...........

[Blue Champagne]

I'd say her restraint was admirable.

[richmwill]

Delayed justice is sometimes the sweetest justice. And I have NO qualms about saying that.

[prisoner6]

This is what will happen in this country if the Supes keep leanign to the left. As > legally wrong< as it may be I don't hold this againt the woman a bit. Especially when we hear how the bravado of the rapist/pedophile!

She's a strong woman...I hope she continues to have the strength to get through what she facing.

To borrow from the left...

YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!

parting thought....Jacko, I wouldn't do any soft drink commercials using pyro stuff...

prisoner6

[Hank Rearden]

He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries.

That's the part I especially enjoyed.

[Malsua]

"[S]he was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

Well, he only had burns over 60%. I'd call that Medium to Medium Well.

[Czar]

Was it Dirty Harry who said "Some people just need killin'"...

This $hithead got exactly what he deserved. Just happened to come a little late.

[umgud]

Light a man a fire and he will be warm for a time.

Light a man on fire and he will be warm the rest of his life.

[Right Wing Assault]

He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries

They should have let her come in each day and say to Soriano, "So, how are the burns coming along? Feeling better?"

[Checkers]

"...Soriano, 69, had been sent to jail for nine years in 1998, but was let out on a three-day pass..."

What? Is Michael Dukakis in charge?

[ncountylee]

"Deep vengeance is the daughter of deep silence."

Vittorio Alfieri

[aculeus]

I probably shouldn't say this but: "Bravo!!"

Actually, when applauding a female performer one shouts "Brava!"

[new cruelty]

We all have it coming...

[pointsal]

Seems like she made the appropriate response.

[asp1]

Darn! And I also forgot "Well done!" LOL! :^)

[pointsal]

She had more than a cup full of petrol for that job.

[BlazingArizona]

He survived for 11 days before succumbing to his injuries

Give that lady an honorary green card!

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Now THIS is justice.

WELL DONE MOMMA!

Too bad we don't see this kind of justice meted out more often here.

[Gator113]

ROFLMAO

[gridlock]

When she appeared in court the next day in the town of Orihuela, she was cheered and clapped by a crowd, who shouted "Bravo!" and "Well done!"

Well, he survived 11 days, so at most he was Medium Rare...

[over3Owithabrain]

BRAVO! To bad there cannot be an encore...........

There will be - in Hell.

[Right Wing Assault]

Why didn't he react when she was pouring the gas over him?

It was probably one of those WTF moments where he was just trying to figure out what was going on. As they say, "It happened so fast! Before you know, I'm standing there, like, totally on fire!"

[Nateman]

Complete the equation:

Tit for tat = Torch for ?

[Randy Larsen]

Miguel Dukakis?


Brilliance!

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Well, at least now that he's in Hell he already knows what to expect!

[TommyDale]

And now he can continue to burn for an eternity in Hell.

[Right Wing Assault]

Terch?

[SoDak]

That is fine work. No doubt the flames were an intro to what he has to look forward to for eternity.

[Ladysmith]

Paybacks are hell... Good for Mama.

[calex59]

I am sure you have all heard of Ellie Nestlor who shot the SOB who violated her child in San Andreas CA. I live just a few miles from her and we all thought she should have been released but she had some stuff in her past that didn't work for her. I would happily kill any SOB who raped my daughter, law or not law.

[Tribune7]

Good job.

[HereInTheHeartland]

Would she be eligible for a Supreme Court appointment here?

[Thumper1960]

Give that woman a medal.

[SIDENET]