Man in Scuba Gear Sets Fire During Police Standoff

A 55-year-old Sebastopol man has been jailed after barricading himself inside his flat and starting a fire that caused over £30,000 of damage.

Michael Hockey, of Elm Grove, Sebastopol, Pontypool, pleaded guilty to damaging property, affray, arson and cultivating cannabis at Newport Crown Court.

The court heard that Hockey’s behaviour had become erratic in the days leading up to August 15, 2023, when he banged on his neighbour’s door, screaming and eventually striking it with an axe, terrifying residents who called police.

When officers arrived, Hockey armed himself with an axe and samurai sword before locking himself inside his flat and building a barricade, leading to hours of negotiations with emergency services.

By 6pm, Hockey had donned full scuba diving gear with an oxygen tank and deliberately started a fire with a naked flame and combustible materials.

When emergency services finally gained entry, they found Hockey sitting in his bath, resisting arrest and requiring the use of a taser.

A subsequent search of the property revealed 11 cannabis trees, five grenade-type items, various knives, axes, a spear and a bow and arrow.

Judge Matthew Porter-Bryant noted that Hockey was “smartly dressed and well-kept” in court, stating: “This was a serious and significant incident. The financial cost alone was significant. The resources required were vast, resources that are depleted already. Thankfully, time and money were the only things lost. It’s remarkable there was no serious injuries or loss of life.”

Defence lawyer Alice Sykes told the court: “He is not a person you would expect to be in front of you after viewing that footage.” She explained her client had struggled with mental health issues partly induced by cannabis use.

Hockey received a 30-month prison sentence for arson with a concurrent nine-month sentence for affray.