Man jailed for ramming stolen bulldozer into village pub after 'being taunted over the breakdown of his marriage'

Daniel Morgan, 35, had been drinking at The New Inn in Cefn Rhigos, Rhondda Cynon Taf, before he flew into a rage and drove the vehicle into the front of the building.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Morgan, who visited the pub most evenings, “saw red” after being taunted over the breakdown of his marriage.

Morgan had grown increasingly paranoid as he “mistakenly suspected” his former partner of having had an affair following the recent separation, the court heard.

On Thursday, Judge Celia Hughes sentenced Morgan to 40 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for three years and three months.

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The court heard Morgan, who had taken to drinking around six pints a day and taking cocaine since the break-up, stormed out of the pub in December last year after being taunted about his failed relationship.

Morgan texted the landlord, Christopher Common, saying “be careful, you can’t stop a dozer” and “it will be a drive-thru”, before stealing the vintage Hanomag d600 from his father’s nearby farm and setting off back towards the pub.

Judge Hughes said: “Your father, quite heroically in my opinion, reached the pub before you did and warned the publican to get his customers out.

“You deliberately drove it into the front porch of the pub, causing significant damage and, more importantly, great fear to those who had been inside.”

The court heard Morgan caused over £22,000 of damage to the building before heading towards his estranged wife’s home, driving straight over another vehicle in the process.

His rampage was only halted once his father, Phillip Morgan, who had already tried to cut the diesel pipe, mounted a digger and used the bucket to smash the dashboard.

Morgan was bleeding from his head when he was arrested in the cab of the bulldozer, and later told police he was “really drunk” and “just saw red”.

Morgan, of Aberdare, previously pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and criminal damage recklessly endangering life.

Judge Hughes said: “What you did on the night of this incident will have grave effects on you and others close to you for the rest of your life.

“You are extremely fortunate that no one was seriously injured.”

The court heard Morgan had been drinking heavily and taking drugs following the breakdown of his marriage, and was living with his father at the time of the incident.

Stephen Thomas, defending, said those who knew Morgan were “genuinely shocked” by his behaviour, having known him as a “trustworthy” and “hard-working” man.

He added: “This was a relatively young man who was undergoing a breakdown, a man who did something that was so truly out of character.

“This defendant is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour.”

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.

“Strong evidence presented by the Crown Prosecution Service resulted in guilty pleas.”

Detective Sergeant Jenna Herbert, of South Wales Police, said: “This was a thoughtless and targeted attack on a pub.

“Morgan has caused substantive damage to both the pub and multiple vehicles, it’s lucky that no-one was seriously hurt in this incident.

“Morgan will now serve time in prison where he can think about his actions.”