‘Red mist’ prompted Ford Prison inmate to start blaze

Lee Roberts, 41, told a jury at the Hove Trial Centre on Monday that he “snapped and saw red” because he resented having to stay in prison and missed his family.

He said he started pulling large plant pots over before walking over to the induction room and smashing panes of glass with a fire extinguisher. He then set fire to blinds in the post room.

“I do not know what was going through my mind. When I lose my temper it’s like there are no consequences. I call it red mist,” he said.

Roberts initially denied being involved in the rioting when he was first questioned by police, the court heard.

He added he was responsible only for starting the fire in the post room and that he had found out only during the trial that more than one fire had been started.

“I have held my hands up to starting the fire in the post room. If I was involved in anything else I would tell you. I have nothing to lose.

“When I lit the fire I knew I was not endangering anyone’s lives. The building did not house anyone and the wind was blowing which meant the fire would make its way backwards towards open fields.”

Roberts was giving evidence as the defence cases of six men alleged to have taken part in the riot at the open prison began.

On Friday (February 10) Judge Michael Lawson QC directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict for 25-year-old Paul Hadcroft, after he felt there was insufficient evidence to try the former prisoner, following the prosecution’s case.

Mr Hadcroft was found not guilty of prison mutiny, violent disorder and arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered. He was discharged from court, shortly afterwards.

During the proceedings, Judge Lawson explained that only one witness claimed to have seen Mr Hadcroft actively taking part in the mutiny and that, under cross-examination, the man – who was an inmate at the time of the riot – was unsure as to whether or not he had identified the correct person.

Judge Lawson said: “Just being there isn’t sufficient. The end position was that he could not be sure that the person he thought was there actually participated in the incident.

“Because of this, there’s no basis that any of the counts could survive.”

Rioting at the catogory D prison began just after midnight on New Year’s Day, 2011, and lasted for more than 12 hours.

The prosecution says inmates caused some £5m of damage – looting, smashing and torching buildings and property – before the authorities regained control.

Roberts, Thomas Reegan, 23, Ryan Martin, 25, Lenny Franklin, 23, Roche Allen, 25, and Carniel Francis, 25, all deny a charge of prison mutiny. Five of the men have also pleaded not guilty to a charge of violent disorder. Reegan has pleaded guilty to the charge.

Roberts, Reegan, Martin, Franklin and Allen also deny a further charge of arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered. Roberts has pleaded guilty to a simple charge of arson, although this is not accepted by the prosecution.

The trial continues.