Kim Massey apologized to his ex-girlfriend in state court yesterday for the injuries she suffered when he poured gasoline on her and set her on fire.

“;She did not deserve that,”; Massey said. “;No one deserves that.”;

Circuit Judge Steven Alm sentenced Massey yesterday to the mandatory 20-year prison term for first-degree arson for setting fire to his Honokai Hale home on Oct. 5, 2006.

The victim, Marie Siarot, said she didn't think Massey was remorseful. “;To me, he was still looking at me with hate,”; she said.

Before leaving the courtroom, Massey turned in Siarot's direction and said “;thank you.”;

A state jury had also found Massey guilty of first-degree assault for the injuries he caused Siarot. But because the jurors determined he committed both crimes with the same act, Alm sentenced Massey only for the arson, the more serious of the two crimes.

Massey said he accidentally spilled a mixture of gasoline and lamp oil on Siarot and that her cigarette started the fire.

Alm told Massey he believes Massey poured gasoline on Siarot and on the floor of the home, then ignited the gasoline because he was in the midst of losing the home to foreclosure and he was having an argument with his ex-girlfriend.

“;She had a lighter in her hand. You reached over and squeezed it and that's what set her aflame.”;

Alm said in his 25 years as a prosecutor and judge, he had not seen anything as cruel.

Siarot suffered burns on her face, arms and back. She testified she saw her skin roll off her arms. While waiting for an ambulance, Massey told her they needed to get their stories straight for the police, she said.

Massey stood trial three times. The first trial ended in mistrial after the jurors deadlocked. Jurors in the second trial acquitted Massey of attempted second-degree murder but deadlocked on the lesser included offense of first-degree assault and the arson.