A man who was jailed for blowing up his marital home while his estranged wife was inside died from mouth cancer at an Andover hospice, an inquest has heard. Ian Clowes passed away at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice while serving a five year prison sentence at HMP Winchester after pleading guilty to arson reckless to endangering life at Bournemouth Crown Court in May 2019. The court heard that the 68-year-old had used a large butane gas cylinder to cause an explosion which caused “catastrophic damage” to the house which had been converted into separate flats for Mr Clowes and his estranged wife, Elaine. On the day of the blast, Mrs Clowes was due to take possession of the upstairs flat following the order of a family court allowing her to buy out her husband.