Prisoner 'obsessed' with starting fires dies at Parc Prison, Bridgend, where 11 inmates have died in five months

A prisoner who had a "lifelong obsession" with arson has died of what are thought to be natural causes. Robert Royan, a 71-year-old inmate of HMP Parc in Bridgend, was serving a 10-year extended sentence when he died on June 5 in hospital.

It brings the death toll for Parc prisoners to 11 since late February, but G4S — the private security giant that runs the jail — says Mr Royan had been in hospital since April 29 and was in poor health following a stroke. At least four of the other recent deaths were substance-related but G4S says drugs are not believed to have played a role in Mr Royan's death.

"His next of kin have been informed and our thoughts are with his family and friends," said a spokeswoman for G4S. "As with all deaths in custody, this will be investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the cause of death is for the coroner to determine."

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When Mr Royan was sentenced in 2018, Swansea Crown Court heard he had started "hundreds" of fires due to a "lifelong obsession" with arson. The most recent case involved him using a Screwfix catalogue to start a fire in the shared electricity meter cupboard in the flats where he lived in Pembroke Dock. He then left the flats and walked to a phone booth where he called 999.

Frank Phillips, prosecuting, said firefighters were quickly on the scene, and found Mr Royan nearby. He told officers he had been out for a walk when he noticed the fire and raised the alarm. One resident of the building was found to be suffering from smoke inhalation and needed oxygen at the scene.

Police were suspicious of Mr Royan's version of events and arrested him. When they searched his flat they found scraps of burnt paper and a Screwfix catalogue. Firefighters recovered the charred remains of a similar catalogue from the electricity cupboard. Police checked CCTV to see if they could find evidence of Mr Royan going for a walk around the area as he had claimed, but they could not.

Mr Royan, of Commercial Row in Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to arson. The court heard he had a history of arson convictions dating back to 1979 when he peeled wallpaper from the walls of his bedroom and set fire to it. He had served prison sentences of three, four and five years for previous arson offences. In an interview with a probation officer he said he had set "hundreds" of fires.

James Hartson, for Mr Royan, said psychological reports into his client showed he reacted to stress with "maladaptive behaviour", though wasn't suffering from any diagnosable mental condition. He said Mr Royan had a grudge against the letting agents of the flat where he lived, and setting the fire had been his way of "getting attention for himself".

Judge Paul Thomas QC told Mr Royan: "The simple fact of the matter is you have an obsession with setting fire, and you are someone who resorts to that when you feel the need." The judge said he had a duty to protect the public, and imposed a 10-year extended sentence comprising six years in custody and a four-year licence period.

Earlier this month Parc prison's director Heather Whitehead left by mutual agreement following rioting at the jail, 10 sudden inmate deaths in just over three months, and allegations that drug-dealing, violence and corruption were out of control. She was replaced by Will Styles, who previously ran another G4S jail, HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire. G4S said the decision was "not in response to any one single incident". You can read more about the recent crisis at Parc here.

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