A Clayton County jury Friday sentenced a 30-year-old man to more than 200 years in prison for setting his girlfriend ablaze a year ago.

Orville Brooks, after a heated argument with his 21-year-old girlfriend Tara Best, pushed her to a bathtub and poured gasoline all over her, before throwing an ignited match stick on her.

Best suffered burns on more than 70 percent of her body, 40 percent being third degree burns. She was in life support for three months after the incident.

Best testified against Brooks four days ago to the jury and said that he burned her even she was repeatedly pleading him not to do so. I can just remember him pouring it on me and saying stuff, and I'm just pleading with him not to do it. He lit the match and threw it on me, she said.

The incident happened in their Brook Stone apartment last January. Best informed court that Brooks was often abusive and jealous of her and was very angry on the day because she came home late from the work, according to a Channel 2 News report.

Brooks was convicted on eight counts, including charges of intention to commit murder. The jury sentenced him to 205 years of penitentiary.

However, Brooks denied the charges against him through his attorney who argued that his client was innocent. He claimed that he poured gasoline on both of their clothes and flashed a cigar lighter to scare Best, but the spark accidently lit up the gasoline which caused the burns on her.

The jury rejected Brook's stand on the issue and said evidence supported Best's story, according to Chanel 2 News report.

After hearing the sentence, Best told Chanel 2 News that she was happy for the verdict.

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