Van-crash driver attacked Fife dog owner with hammer

Man smirks in dock over his reign of terror involving threats, assault and violently resisting arrest

A Kirkcaldy man carried out a violent hammer attack after crashing his van into a wall just metres away from two members of the public.

Jordan Millar, a prisoner at HMP Perth, admitted six charges at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.

The 26-year-old, who smirked and smiled in the dock, was remanded in custody as sentence was deferred for background reports.

Depute fiscal Sarah Lumsden told the court how Millar’s five-minute reign of terror began in East Wemyss before he drove to Buckhaven on August 15.

She said: “At around 5.40pm, witness Anderson was driving her Volkswagen Touran along William Street in East Wemyss.

“She became aware of a silver Berlingo van being driven by the accused turning into the road ahead of her.

“The accused was then involved in a minor road traffic collision scraping against the wheel arch of witness Anderson’s vehicle. She followed the accused and when she pulled alongside his van, he began shouting and swearing and threatened to kill her.

“The accused reached out of his vehicle and punched the rear view mirror of her car and the police were contacted.”

Millar then drove towards Buckhaven before coming to the attention of witnesses on Randolph Street around five minutes later.

Witnesses reported seeing the damaged van “swerving all over the road” before mounting the kerb and running into a wall just metres away from where two men were sitting.

One of the men, Shaun Donaldson, approached the van and opened the door to confront Millar about his driving and the fact he had almost run over Mr Donaldson’s dog.

Miss Lumsden added: “The accused grabbed a hammer from within the vehicle and swung it at witness Donaldson before missing him.

“He shut the door and backed away from the van before the accused jumped through to the passenger side and smashed the window before exiting the car.”

Millar then attacked the dog owner with the hammer, knocking him to the ground and leaving him with a large laceration on his head which required 21 stitches.

Police and the ambulance service were called and Millar was traced by officers a short time later before violently resisting arrest.

He called one officer a “ginger p **** ” before threatening to rape and kill his family.

He then knocked the officer to the ground and wrapped his legs around the constable’s neck.

Defence solicitor Kerr Sneddon said due to his client’s criminal record, he understood that a custodial sentence would be inevitable.

Millar, who was remanded in custody by Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC, will reappear on November 22.

Jordan Millar’s Berlingo van, which he crashed before launching a hammer attack.