A boy who celebrated his 17th birthday by setting
his friend ablaze has blamed a television show for his action.
Hayden Calder was a
guest at Matt-Dillon Shannon's 17th birthday party in Hastings, New Zealand,
last year when he was severely burned, Fairfax NZ reports.
The birthday boy
poured a small glass of petrol over his friend. The accused claimed that he was
inspired by the television show Jackass. He assumed that such a small amount of
fuel would not do any major harm and his friend would be able to put it out immediately.
However, the victim
claimed that the birthday boy poured almost a can of petrol over him and set
him on fire. He also said that his friend was high on alcohol, while he was
completely sober as he was still recovering from an illness.
He begged his friend
not to do it when he realised that his friend had doused him with petrol.
The victim who is
admitted into a hospital is fighting for his life in intensive care.
