Evil brother who burnt his sister alive with homemade petrol bomb after he was cut out of his dad’s will is jailed for life
Stephen Archer, 50, turned his sister Julie into a human fireball, leaving her 'skin dripping from her body' like 'something from a horror film'
AN evil brother who burned his sister alive because he blamed her for being left out of their father's will has been jailed for life today.
Stephen Archer, 50, threw a mixture of petrol and mineral spirits on younger sibling Julie as she sat on her sofa, then set her alight turning her into a human fireball.
Neighbours who saw her run outside said her "skin was dripping from her body" like "something from a horror film".
Her 19-year-old daughter Bibi - who said the explosion sounded like "an earthquake" - was trapped upstairs and escaped the inferno by jumping 12ft from a window.
On Thursday he was found guilty of her murder and today a judge at Manchester Crown Court ruled he must serve a minimum of 27 years in prison.
Obsessed Archer was convinced Julie, 49, and their other sister Gillian had poisoned their father Jeffery and arranged it so he would not benefit from his will.
When Jeffery and his brother Russell died within weeks, Archer posted sinister messages on Facebook claiming it was "no coincidence", a court heard.
In one Facebook post to Julie he wrote: "If fate was to strike you down, then I'll become next of kin - be careful what you do regarding dad's money and any paperwork that you sign."
He then went to her home in Newton Heath, Manchester, where he doused her with the fuel from a Pepsi bottle and set light to the fumes.
Julie told medics before she was sedated: “My brother Stephen, he has been threatening to kill me and my sister for the last three weeks since my dad died.”
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And as she lay dying with 95 per cent burns, Archer sent a sick Get Well Soon card that read: "Karma has punished you through me.
"I couldn't kill you and never will but I can't forgive you for what you did to my dad and uncle.
"Tell us the truth who was behind it, was it a secret deal to stitch me up for it? Come on girl please - Steve."
He also wrote a note in a birthday card to his elderly mother Wendy: "Mam just a quick note to say I'm truly sorry for I did to Julie but believed she deserved it for what she did to my dad."
Julie died three days after the attack on February 29 last year.
When cops caught up with Archer he pulled a petrol bomb from his backpack and moved a lighter towards the bottle but was overpowered by officers using a fire extinguisher.
He said as he was led away: "I'm sorry I did not mean to kill her - I just wanted to main her."
But he later claimed Julie "self-immolated" and that she died in a "freak accident".
He denied murder but was convicted by a majority of 10-1 by a jury at Manchester Crown Court. He was acquitted of a second charge of arson with intent to endanger the life of Bibi.
His trial heard Archer was "obsessed" with keeping petrol bombs in his home for "protection" and harboured conspiracy theories that the police and lawyers were out to kill him.
Gillian told the court he accused her and Julie of poisoning their dad in food they took him at his care home.
She said: "He wanted Julie to be punished for what he thought she had done by going to prison.
"Julie told me she was scared - but we were both scared because of Stephen's behaviour. To me he was unstable and I was worried what he was going to do."
Bibi told how she saw Archer arrive at the house wearing a dark baseball cap and carrying a backpack before walking into the lounge where Julie called him "Darling".
She said: "I was playing music and drying my hair when I suddenly felt the ground heat up and felt a shaking.
"I actually thought it was an earthquake at first and just carried on getting ready but my dog would not shut up crying at the door and as I saw smoke had come up the stairs.
"While I was at the window deciding how to get out I could see my neighbours telling me to jump and I could see my mum.
"She was naked and her face was red, her eyes were red and her hair was greasy. Her clothes had completely burnt off her.
"She was dragging herself up the driveway towards the gate. I screamed and she turned and started to walk towards the front door again. She was dragging herself and I jumped from the window and neighbours came to help me."
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