Man tried to blow up ex's house

Colin Hughes was found guilty by a jury in December

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.

His sentence included two years in jail - to run concurrently - for burglary at the house 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

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.

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."

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.