A “paranoid” pubgoer destroyed a pub with a bulldozer because he believed his wife was having an affair with its landlord and patrons.
Daniel Morgan, 35, was on the receiving end of “banter” about his marriage’s breakdown as he drank at the New Inn in Cefn Rhigos near Aberdare, South Wales.
Morgan, of Rhigos, Aberdare. falsely believed in a “paranoid way” that his wife was being unfaithful with regulars, and messaged landlord Christopher Common to warn him of a potential attack, prosecutor Jason Howells told the court.
“Be careful, you can’t stop a dozer,” Morgan texted the landlord.
Morgan then took a bulldozer from his father’s farm and ploughed through an Isuzu truck on the farm.
His father, Phillip, saw the bulldozer slam through the truck and headed to the pub to alert the owners of Morgan’s planned attack.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard how Morgan drove over a parked car and destroyed the Welsh pub’s porch, resulting in £22,280.43 of damage and a lost revenue of £7,000.
His father “heroically” attempted to cut the diesel pipe on the engine in order to stop the damage.
Daniel Morgan destroyed the porch of the New Inn, causing in £22,280.43 of damage
|
SOUTH WALES POLICE
Morgan then left the pub to head to his family home, but was stopped by his father, uncle, and cousin, who blocked the road with a digger.
The bulldozer driver was found by police to be “heavily intoxicated”, the court heard.
Morgan told officers the incident was “all because my ex won’t let me see the kids”, and said he “saw red” as he drove the bulldozer.
Landlord Mr Common said Morgan was not in the right frame of mind.
Police shared images of the New Inn after it was destroyed by Daniel Morgan
|
SOUTH WALES POLICE
Mr Howells told the court: “He does not believe the defendant would have acted this way and caused the damage if he had been in the right frame of mind.”
The landlord added that Morgan was usually willing to help people within the village.
The court heard how the bulldozer driver had began drinking six pint a day and using cocaine as a result of his marriage breaking down.
Judge Celia Hughes said Morgan had “acted out of revenge” and had only been stopped thanks to the “bravery” of his father.
Daniel Morgan drove over parked cars to destroy the Welsh pub
|
SOUTH WALES POLICE
She said she did “accept his remorse” and gave him credit for his guilty plea, noting that Morgan had not been in contact with his two children since the breakdown of his marriage, which had contributed to his substance abuse.
Morgan pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving; and damaging property being reckless as to whether life is endangered.
He was sentenced to 40 months in prison and has been disqualified from driving for three years and three months.
He must also pay £10,000 to Mr Common.
Ryan Randall of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Daniel Morgan showed a complete disregard for the safety of other people who could have been in the pub.
“This wasn’t an accidental collision, but a threatened action which was then carried out, not only damaging a building and vehicles, but stopping a business from trading and impacting on the livelihoods of the landlord and farmer.”