Prisoner jailed for setting fire to cell at HMP Swansea

A drug addict who set fire to his prison cell, forcing officers to don breathing apparatus to rescue him and his terrified cellmate, has been jailed for four years.

Carlo Shepherd, 45, of Penyfan Road, Llanelli, was remanded to HMP Swansea on 12 December last year after admitting shoplifting offences. Whilst suffering from alcohol and drug withdrawal, he placed a bin in the toilet, stuffed blankets into it, and used a vape to light it.

Swansea Crown Court heard the cell quickly filled with smoke, and Shepherd’s cellmate – who was spending his first night in custody – activated the alarm. Prison officers wearing breathing apparatus rushed to the scene with firefighting equipment, extinguished the flames, and administered oxygen to both men.

The court heard that research into prison cell fires shows toxic smoke can cause loss of consciousness in seven minutes and death in eight minutes due to the confined space.

The cellmate suffered a panic attack during the blaze and, in his impact statement read to the court, said he had feared for what would happen to his children if he had died.

Shepherd, who has 63 previous convictions for 99 offences including drug dealing and burglary, pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, and to a separate burglary offence.

Defence barrister Dyfed Thomas said Shepherd was now drug-free in prison and “determined to remain so”, telling his solicitor he was “too old to continue living the lifestyle he had been doing”.

Judge Geraint Walters told Shepherd he had endangered the life of his cellmate as well as his own life, noting the cellmate had been “overwhelmed by the smoke” and required oxygen.

Shepherd was sentenced to four years for arson and 32 months concurrent for burglary.