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Husband jailed for burning down Carmarthenshire eco home after row

A man has been jailed for two years after burning down his nearly-built eco home in Carmarthenshire in a fit of temper.

Swansea Crown Court heard Andrew Sheppard, 47, reduced the uninsured building at Llanboidy to ashes after a row with his wife Jacqueline.

Crews took three hours to put out the blaze which was started with petrol.

The prosecution called it "a scene of utter devastation". Sheppard admitted arson.

The house. built from natural materials, was almost completed when the incident happened in March.

Sheppard was found lying on the ground clutching an empty bottle of red wine when the emergency services arrived, the court was told.

Prosecuting, Ieuan Rees said the couple were still using a caravan to cook on the night of the row, even though the house was nearly complete.

Mrs Sheppard locked herself in the caravan as the row developed and told her husband their marriage was over.

Mr Rees said the defendant forced his way into the caravan and said: "I'm going to prison for what I'm going to do. I'm going to burn the place down."

The court hear Sheppard then spent an hour breaking anything of value in the property, even a toilet.

As Mrs Sheppard began walking to her parents' home five minutes away, she saw an "orange glow" coming from where her home should have been.

John Allchurch, defending, said his client had suffered "an avalanche of emotions" that day and had now lost his liberty as well as his home and marriage.

Judge Peter Heywood said he did not doubt that both Sheppard and his wife had "cherished" the property.

But Sheppard had, in a fit of temper, used petrol to make sure that he destroyed everything that he had built.

Sheppard was found lying on the ground clutching an empty bottle of red wine when the emergency services arrived, the court was told.