OWEN SCOTT FROM FAWLEY SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC HAMMER ATTACK AND CRASH IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE

In a chilling case that has shocked the community, Owen Scott, a 29-year-old man from Fawley, Hampshire, was convicted of attempting to murder his four young children during a violent episode fueled by a cocaine-induced psychosis. The incident culminated in a reckless car crash into a pub wall in Thurgoland, South Yorkshire, leaving a trail of devastating injuries and trauma.

Scott's actions took place in August of the previous year, when he drove his three children and stepdaughter approximately 250 miles from his home in Fawley to Thurgoland. During this journey, he was under the influence of drugs and believed he was protecting his children from an imagined threat posed by an 'evil gang.'

According to court reports, Scott repeatedly struck all four children with a hammer before, in a final act of recklessness, driving his vehicle at high speed into the wall of The Travellers pub. The vehicle was traveling at approximately 92 miles per hour at the time of impact, and Scott made no effort to brake or slow down as he collided with the building.

Police arrived at the scene shortly after the crash. An off-duty officer, witnessing the aftermath, called emergency services and tended to the injured children until paramedics arrived. The scene was harrowing: the seven-year-old girl had suffered a large section of her skull being shattered, leaving her partially paralyzed and wheelchair-dependent for life. She had undergone 13 surgeries and remained hospitalized six months after the attack.

The 21-month-old boy sustained a skull fracture with a hole that will require further surgical intervention. Both he and his nine-month-old brother are now required to wear protective helmets to prevent further injury. The youngest child was found in a footwell of the car, while his older brother was in a carry-cot also located in a footwell. The two girls, including the seven-year-old, were discovered on top of each other on the central console of the vehicle. The children’s injuries are severe, and they are still in recovery.

Scott was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. During police investigations, he claimed to have no memory of the incident. Initially, he was suspected of dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, subsequent charges revealed a more disturbing picture: Scott was also charged with four counts of attempted murder. He initially pleaded not guilty but later admitted to the charges last month.

Prosecutors detailed that Scott believed he was being chased by a gang intent on harming him and his children. On the day of the incident, he had taken the children, who were living with his ex-partner Sheryl Rogers in Southampton, on a two-day trip around the country. His route included visits to the Isle of Wight, Liverpool, and Bury, Greater Manchester, where he purchased a satnav in Colne, Lancashire. His journey also took him through Huddersfield before reaching South Yorkshire, where the tragic crash occurred on the A629.

Mrs Justice O’Farrell sentenced Scott to a minimum of 14 years in prison for attempted murder. The court’s decision was influenced by the severity of the injuries inflicted and the reckless nature of his actions. The prosecution’s case was supported by evidence that Scott had used a hammer to assault his children in the vehicle before deliberately crashing into the pub wall.

Scott’s case has garnered widespread attention, highlighting the devastating consequences of drug-induced psychosis and reckless violence. The community continues to grapple with the aftermath of this tragic event, which has left a family shattered and a community in mourning.