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| Man tried to blow up ex's house | Man tried to blow up ex's house |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man has been jailed for three and a half years for trying to blow up his ex-girlfriend's house after breaking in and turning on gas from a cooker. | |
| Colin Hughes, 45, was angry when Ann Bowers refused to take him back after their six-year relationship ended, Swansea Crown Court heard. | |
| Only "good fortune" prevented a large explosion, said Judge Michael Burr. | |
| He said resentment drove the painter and decorator, from West Cross in the city, to do "something spectacular". | |
| Ms Bowers had called police after noticing "an overpowering smell of gas" when she returned from the cinema. | |
| The court heard that Hughes has broken in and left six rings of her gas cooker on, as well as ransacking her home. | |
| Judge Burr said: "It was only good fortune that there was not a large explosion. | |
| "The officer turned on a light causing, as it always does, a spark." | |
| Hughes was charged with exposing Ms Bowers and two police officers to gas with the intention of burning, maiming, disfiguring or disabling them or causing grievous bodily harm. | Hughes was charged with exposing Ms Bowers and two police officers to gas with the intention of burning, maiming, disfiguring or disabling them or causing grievous bodily harm. |
| His sentence included two years in jail - to run concurrently - for burgling his former girlfriend's home at Eastlands Park in Bishopston. | His sentence included two years in jail - to run concurrently - for burgling his former girlfriend's home at Eastlands Park in Bishopston. |
| You had clearly decided in your resentment at the breakdown of your relationship to do something spectacular Judge Michael Burr | You had clearly decided in your resentment at the breakdown of your relationship to do something spectacular Judge Michael Burr |
| The trial in December had heard Hughes was angry when Ms Bowers ended their six-year relationship. | The trial in December had heard Hughes was angry when Ms Bowers ended their six-year relationship. |
| He had begged her to take him back but she refused. | He had begged her to take him back but she refused. |
| Appearing on behalf of Hughes, Kevin Riordan said his client had been a man of previous good character who had problems with alcohol. | Appearing on behalf of Hughes, Kevin Riordan said his client had been a man of previous good character who had problems with alcohol. |
| The barrister said Hughes had no recollection of the incident as he was drunk at the time but was "genuinely remorseful." | The barrister said Hughes had no recollection of the incident as he was drunk at the time but was "genuinely remorseful." |
| Passing sentence Judge Burr told Hughes: "You had clearly decided in your resentment at the breakdown of your relationship to do something spectacular, and in addition to breaking in, an act that was wholly unjustified." | Passing sentence Judge Burr told Hughes: "You had clearly decided in your resentment at the breakdown of your relationship to do something spectacular, and in addition to breaking in, an act that was wholly unjustified." |
| Hughes will serve half the sentence, less the days he has already spent in custody, before being eligible for parole. | Hughes will serve half the sentence, less the days he has already spent in custody, before being eligible for parole. |