The Taiwan High Court yesterday sentenced a man to 14 years in prison for burning his wife to death after the victim obtained a restraining order against him. The defendant, surnamed Liao, was convicted of murder, but the court gave him a relatively lighter sentence considering that he tried to put out the fire he had set on his wife - an act the judge deemed as a show of his regret.
Liao, who was a cook, could still appeal the sentence with the Supreme Court.
According to the verdict, his wife in August 2009 obtained a restraining order protecting her from her violent husband.
Liao was ordered to move out of their Yilan City residence, and stay at least 100 meters away from her wife's place.
But Liao refused to move out and in the early hours of Aug. 14, 2009, the couple had a quarrel. In the heat of the argument, he poured a solvent on the wife and set her on fire.
The woman screamed out for help and was sent to hospital by neighbors. She suffered serious burns, and died in the hospital a month later.
The defendant argued that it was an accident, but both the district and high court judges convicted him of murder.
Liao, who was a cook, could still appeal the sentence with the Supreme Court.
According to the verdict, his wife in August 2009 obtained a restraining order protecting her from her violent husband.
Liao was ordered to move out of their Yilan City residence, and stay at least 100 meters away from her wife's place.
But Liao refused to move out and in the early hours of Aug. 14, 2009, the couple had a quarrel. In the heat of the argument, he poured a solvent on the wife and set her on fire.
The woman screamed out for help and was sent to hospital by neighbors. She suffered serious burns, and died in the hospital a month later.
The defendant argued that it was an accident, but both the district and high court judges convicted him of murder.