David Hampson refused to speak when he appeared at Swansea Crown Court to face a charge of arson
AN inmate barricaded himself into his cell in Swansea Prison before setting fire to his bed, a court has heard.
Prison officers managed to put out the flames, get into the second-floor cell and drag Pontardawe man David Hampson to safety.
Hampson remained silent during his arson trial at Swansea Crown Court today - ignoring the judge and refusing to instruct a barrister or to represent himself.
A jury took 25 minutes to convict him.
Hampson has a history of refusing to speak during legal proceedings - he has a number of convictions for obstructing the public highway which have involved him standing in the road outside Swansea Central police station and stopping traffic but doesn't speak to officers, lawyers, court officials, magistrates or probation staff.
He was in Swansea Prison for breaking a criminal behaviour order (a so-called Crasbo) which banned him from obstructing traffic, when he set fire to the cell.
A trial at Swansea Crown Court earlier this month decided that the 46-year-old was "mute of malice" - that is able to speak but deciding not to - rather than "mute by visitation of God" meaning that he cannot speak. This earlier hearing could not be reported at the time.
Today Carina Hughes, for the prosecution, told Swansea Crown Court that fellow prisoners on Swansea Prison's A-Wing spotted smoke coming from the door of Hampson's cell just after 6pm on November 20 last year.
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Swansea Prison
Officers rushed to the scene and looked through the observation hatch in the door - they could see the cell filled with smoke, and a figure standing against the far wall with a blanket wrapped around his head.
Officers removed a "plug" in the door and inserted a hose to spray the cell with water but could not open the door because it was barricaded from the inside.
The court heard how officers removed security bolts from the outside of the door to enable it to be opened outwards, then one of them went went into the cell, grabbed Hampson, and dragged him out.
The court heard the defendant was suffering from smoke inhalation and was treated at the scene with oxygen.
Firefighters arrived shortly afterwards.
Jeremy Oliver, who was in charge of Swansea Central fire station's Blue Watch that evening, told the court he later went into the cell to examine the scene, and said in his opinion the fire had been started deliberately, with a lighter used to ignite a pile of paper and plastic on the mattress.
The cost of the damage to the cell and the fixtures and fittings was put at almost £1,500.
The court also head evidence from South Wales Police PC Rob Hill who said he had arrested and questioned Hampson - again the defendant had remained silent throughout the process.
Judge Peter Heywood said the consequences of starting a fire in a prison full of inmates locked in their cells for the night could have been "horrendous".
He said he was concerned about what the defendant might do next, and adjourned sentencing for four weeks for the preparation of a psychiatric report.
The judge said to the jury: "I have pleaded with Mr Hampson to take a more sensible approach, to tell us what his issues are so we can help him - but he refuses.
"I had hoped we could put a stop to this but that is down to Mr Hampson rather than me and my brother judges - and he is digging his heels in.
"He has got some sort of vendetta against a public body. He seems to find prison comfortable, it suits him."
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