Husband pours fuel over judge, threatens to torch her if she doesn't clear him of assaulting his wife

A video footage has emerged of the terrifying moment a husband pours fuel over a Brazilian judge and threatens to burn her to death if she doesn't declare him innocent of assaulting his wife. The footage shows the judge being pinned to the ground at a court in the west of São Paulo in Brazil as the man threatened to spark a lighter in his hand.

José dos Santos, 36, the furious defendant, grabbed Judge Tatiane Moreira Lima and took her hostage moments before his domestic abuse court case was about to begin. The terrifying incident lasted for 20 minutes in Butantã Court House and was filmed by a police officer.

Santos had a hearing scheduled for yesterday following a domestic violence incident against his wife. He arrived at the courthouse at 1.30pm and upon entering the building, he started a small fire at the entrance, managing to evade the shots of a security officer before storming the Judge's office and grabbing her around the throat, then pouring gasoline over her. 

According to reports, Santos bore a long-term grudge against Judge Lima who convicted him of domestic violence in 2013. 

In the opening shots, Santos, at first calmly asks the officer if he is 'filming him' as instructed and to put it on television.

Then in a fraction of a moment of distraction by Santos, police launch an unexpected attack immobilising him by spraying firefighting foam at close range over both individuals.

The aggressor is quickly overcome and handcuffed. This is when officers discover his real intentions as his backpack is stocked with more flammable liquid, a homemade bomb and his toy dinosaur. 

According to the Sao Paulo's public security department the suspect has been released from hospital after his arrest and transferred into medical care. He will undergo medical examinations and will be transferred to a holding prison once these are completed as part of the police investigation.

A badly shaken Judge Lima was taken to Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital for check-up and released later the same day. She is said to have suffered no physical injuries but remains traumatised from the incident.