BUILDER JAILED FOR RAMPAGE AND DANGEROUS DRIVING AT EX-PARTNER'S HOME
A builder caused £27,000 of damage during two rampages at the home of his former partner, a court was told.Lee Francis Pilkington ripped up flooring, smashed windows and doors, flooded the downstairs, smashed cupboards as well as ripping out showers, toilets and wires at the house he used to share with his girlfriend.
Months later, he drove twice at his victim and her mother as they traveled home from work in their car, narrowly missing them on both occasions, the prosecution claimed.
Pilkington, 43, was sentenced to 16 months in prison at Burnley Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of criminal damage and one count of dangerous driving.
The court was told that the damage was estimated by insurers at £27,300, though the defense argued it was closer to £10,000.
The impact on the victim was severe, with her describing herself as 'very jumpy whenever I went out and scared of running into him' and 'scared to leave the house in case he damaged it again.' The court also noted that Pilkington made threatening comments about 'bulldozing' the house, and that his driving involved reversing his car to speak to his ex and then swerving on the wrong side of the road towards her car, narrowly avoiding a crash.
Pilkington was disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to sit an extended retest, marking a significant consequence for his actions.
