Justice Robert Pearce sentenced Riley Jason Causon, 21, for setting the fire in May this year and a separate assault and robbery at Wynyard in December 2019 when he was between jail stints.

At that time, he was also the subject of three separate suspended jail terms which Justice Pearce activated.

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Justice Pearce said the assault was committed upon a person who had previously spoken to police about another matter.

"You were unhappy with him for having, two years earlier, made a statement to the police about another matter you were involved with," Justice Pearce said.

"You approached him and punched the right side of his face through the open car window.

"You then asked 'what have you got in there that's worth anything?' and said you would hit him again unless he handed over the pouch of tobacco you spotted inside the car."

Causon then punched him again and rode away on a bicycle.

The judge said the victim did not suffer any serious injury and did not make a victim impact statement.

"But that does not mean that he was not frightened or upset by your violent, thuggish and intimidating behaviour."

In March this year, a suspended sentence was activated after Causon breached a community service order, and he was jailed for 12 months.

In May, Justice Pearce said, Causon was "part of a coordinated series of fires lit by prisoners in protest about prison conditions".

The judge said he set fire to bedding, clothing and a couch cushion in a prison cell.

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"Other inmates unsuccessfully tried to put the fire out with buckets and bins of water," he said.

"It was necessary for the Tactical Response Group to be engaged to secure the unit."

Despite Causon's already lengthy criminal history, Justice Pearce said he was still young and had the opportunity to turn his life around.

He was sentenced to a further year in prison, and will be eligible for parole after six months of that term.

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