A WOMAN who poured lighter fuel on her husband as he lay naked in bed and set him alight escaped a jail sentence after a plea from the victim.

Susan Jones' husband Steven told a judge he did not want his wife to be sent to prison or he would be "devastated."

Jones, 45, of King Street, Haslingden, denied attempting to murder her husband last December, but pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent .

David Pickup, prosecuting, told the court there had been financial pressures on the marriage and Jones suffered from depression and occasionally drank to excess.

Mr Jones also drank heavily and on occasions the defendant had displayed violence towards her husband.

On Saturday December 28 2002, they had been drinking in several pubs and rowed. During the evening Mr Jones became angry in an argument, shouting and swearing at his wife.

When they returned home, a row developed over Mr Jones allegedly kicking the dog. Mr Jones went upstairs, denying he had kicked the dog.

Mr Pickup said: "Mr Jones was half asleep when he heard the defendant come upstairs and enter the room. Immediately, he felt cold liquid being poured on to his upper back, head and shoulders.

"For a second he thought it was water. Almost immediately, he felt intense heat all over his back and head. He realised that he was on fire. He began to scream with agony."

The emergency services were contacted and Mr Jones wrapped the duvet up over his head and around him and then rolled on the floor.

After extinguishing the flames, he ran to the bathroom and ran a bath and cooled himself down.

Mr Jones's face and head were red and skin was peeling from his forehead, as were his chest and arms. Most of his hair had been burned off.

A lighter was found on the bedroom floor and a tin of lighter fuel at the side of the bed with the nozzle open.

Mr Jones sustained burns to his face and lips, partial and full thickness burns to his head, back and chest. The total burn area was 18 to 20 per cent of the body but it was unlikely there would be any gross scarring. said Mr Pickup.

When interviwed by police, Jones said it was an accident.

Bob Crawford, defending, said Jones' husband spent the family budget on drink and got into debt. He became violent when in drink. "

Mr Crawford called Mr Jones to give evidence and he told the court he did not want his wife to go to prison. He said he would be "devastated".

Judge Edward Slinger said he found that there were exceptional circumstances and imposed a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years with a suspended sentence supervision order attached.