I saw it on video in 1997. Remember the computer expert and his girlfriend? They were very likable and in the end they got married. Matthew and Maritza Laing. I wanted to know what became of all those people and I found the following story on the web:
Wife tried to set man on fire, court hears
From the archive, first published Wednesday 5th May 2004.
A woman doused her husband in paraffin and tried to set fire to him because he would not let her drive his car without a licence or insurance, a court heard.
Matthew Laing told Oxford Crown Court on April 4 that his wife Maritza held a lighted match to his paraffin-soaked clothes and tried to set fire to his laptop computer and his car during the incident last August.
Maritza Laing, 36, a dual Cuban and UK citizen, had failed her driving test and was only allowed to drive accompanied on her provisional licence after her Cuban driving licence expired.
Mr Laing, a software developer, claimed his wife had been violent towards him on previous occasions.
He told the jury she became extremely angry when he prevented her from driving his Vauxhall Astra on August 24.
He said: "She said something about setting me on fire while she was throwing the paraffin.
"At that stage I didn't take it very seriously. I found the behaviour stupid, childish - but at that stage I didn't find her behaviour dangerous.
"She sprayed water in my face to try to annoy me, then she whipped out a box of matches and lit a match. As she lit a match she was trying to hold it against my clothing.
"I was just dumbfounded. I couldn't believe she was actually going to try to do that.
"Fortunately the match was almost going out by the time it hit my clothing."
Mr Laing told the jury he went upstairs to change his clothes and his wife shouted to him that she was going to set fire to his laptop computer which contained two years of his programming work.
Laing allegedly doused him in paraffin a second time, then splashed some of the fuel into his Rover car, followed by some lit matches. The car did not catch fire and Mr Laing left the house in the Astra and went straight to Abingdon police station. Mr Laing told the jury he waited for an officer for an hour, but had to leave because the paraffin was making his skin sting through his clothing.
He was questioned later that day at his friend's house and Laing was arrested.
The couple, who have six-year-old and three-year-old daughters, are still married but no longer live together.
Laing, of Bramley Close, East Hanney, near Wantage, denies attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and threatening to destroy or damage property.
The trial continues.
From the archive
http://www.oxfordmail.net