I did nothing to provoke sambuca attack, says British tourist set alight in Crete bar

By Mail Foreign Service

The British tourist, who became a human fireball when his genitals were allegedly set alight by a woman with a flaming sambuca, has spoken for the first time about his suffering.

Trainee plumber Stuart Feltham claimed he did nothing to provoke the attack in a late-night bar in Malia, Crete, which left him with second-degree burns to his stomach, chest and neck.

The 20-year-old had been due to testify against 26-year-old student Marina Fanouraki, who is accused of throwing the alcohol on him and lighting it in a bar on Crete.

Instead Miss Fanouraki has laid charges of attempted sexual assault, molestation and personal insults against him.

She claims she only threw the drink over him because the holidaymaker drunkenly fondled her. The case has been adjourned until Monday and he has flown home.

Marina Fanouraki,
Stuart Feltham

Marina Fanouraki (shielding her face, left) says she threw the drink over Stuart Feltham because he drunkenly fondled her. He says he did nothing to provoke her

Today, Mr Feltham, of Swindon, Wiltshire, revealed his fears of vigilante reprisals by Greek islanders, and protested his innocence.

He said: ‘I am completely innocent - I did nothing to provoke her.

‘I had nothing to do with her at all. It came completely out of the blue.

‘Stories about me showing my privates or pestering her are complete fiction.

‘All the Greeks are trying to do is protect their tourism industry by claiming it was my fault.'

Mr Feltham, who was allegedly attacked at the end of his two-week holiday, added: ‘I was just out having a good time with my mates and now I could be scarred for life for nothing.’

Miss Fanouraki was charged last week after turning herself in to police.

She admits pouring the drink over Mr Feltham, claiming she did so after he made inappropriate advances towards her. But she denies setting fire to him.

Electra Bar Crete - taken from Electra Bar website

Tourist hotspot: The Electra Bar in Malia where the alleged incident took place

The story has made national headlines in Greece, where some have hailed her as a heroine who took a stand against rowdy British holidaymakers.

The trial in the town of Iraklion in northern Crete was adjourned until August 17

Mr Feltham's lawyer,  George Koundourakis, said: 'I asked for the postponement of the case as Mr Feltham had to return to England for medical matters and to return to his family and also to gather more evidence in collaboration with his father.'

Speaking from the family home where his son also lives, Ian Feltham, 48, yesterday said Stuart's burns were being examined by a doctor.

Asked why his son had come home rather than attend court he said: 'His life was threatened. I felt he was in extreme danger over there.

'The lawyers would have liked him to stay - but I pointed out how much attention he had had over there. He felt threatened - that's why I got him back.'

He added: 'I wouldn't rule out him going back but he would need more protection.

'I've done the right thing getting my son out. If it was your son, you would do the same.

'They are raging in the streets saying that she has done the right thing, but he's done nothing wrong.'

Ian and Pauline Feltham

Back home: Mr Feltham's father Ian and wife Pauline are backing their son

His son, who suffered second-degree burns to his chest and stomach, today claimed the liquid Miss Fanouraki threw on him was a special accelerant.

‘It’s been reported that it was sambuca that was poured on me, but that’s not true,’ he told The Sun.

‘It was some flammable liquid they kept behind the bar for a party trick where it’s squirted on the bar top and set on fire and people dance over it.

‘The bottle was easily reachable right behind the bar and I can only think she’d reached over and grabbed it.

‘The flames singed my hair and ear and the whole of my front was on fire for between five and 10 seconds.

‘I was in agony and I rolled on the floor to put out the flames like a madman.’

'Then I ran towards some of my friends who were round the corner screaming, "Water,water, water".

'One of them found a security guard and he got a garden hose and turned it on me.'