'Silent man' repeatedly blocked main road but refuses to explain why
A man who repeatedly stands in the middle of a busy main road then refuses to speak when arrested has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
David Hampson blocked the traffic outside Swansea Central police station in December last year then refused to say anything to police officers, lawyers, court staff, magistrates or judges leading to a trial to determine whether he can speak but chooses not to, or whether is unable to speak - what is know as "mute of malice or mute by visitation of god".
The 51-year-old has been repeating the same pattern of blocking the traffic, remaining silent, then going back to the same spot and doing it again when he is released from the court or from prison since 2014.
As a result of his behaviour he is subject to criminal behaviour order banning from from obstructing any public highway in Wales or England - a court order he repeatedly ignores.
The most recent incident took place at around 4.45pm on December 3 last year police were alerted to a man standing in the middle of De La Beche Street blocking traffic just yards from Swansea Central police station. A PC and two special constables went to see what was happening and found Hampson in the road near the junction with Mount Pleasant - though the traffic lights were on green, vehicles at the junction were stationary.
