Man jailed for hammer attack after van crash

26-year-old admitted a host of charges including assault and dangerous driving

A Fife man who carried out a “horrific” hammer attack on a stranger after crashing his van into a wall has been jailed for two years.

Jordan Millar was sentenced at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court after previously admitting six charges including assault to severe injury and dangerous driving.

The 26-year-old carried out his fiveminute reign of terror on August 15. It started in East Wemyss before he drove a short distance to Buckhaven.

Witnesses described seeing his silver Berlingo van “swerving all over the road” before crashing into a wall on Randolph Street – just metres away from where two men were sitting.

One of the men approached the vehicle and lambasted Millar for almost hitting his dog, prompting him to grab a hammer from inside the car.

He then chased the man down the street before hitting him on the head leaving him with a skull fracture.

Millar also admitted violently struggling with police officers and verbally abusing one of them.

He threatened to rape and kill the constable’s family before wrapping his legs round the officer’s neck.

Defence solicitor Kerr Sneddon said his client fully accepted his “crazy behaviour” and had been expecting a custodial sentence from the start.

He added: “Mr Millar is a very pleasant young man who is not uneducated. He still has the support of his mother and father.

“He is not seeking to dissuade you from a custodial sentence.”

Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist QC said: “You are to be commended for your realistic approach to this but the whole incident was completely inexplicable with aggressive behaviour on your part.

“The explanation in the background report is that you had consumed Xanax.

“You hear anecdotal statements about the effects of this drug and it’s tragic that people are using this substance in the way that they are because it appears to have disastrous consequences.

“The assault in charge five was frankly horrific.

“It was an unprovoked attack on a stranger with a weapon, a hammer, causing a fracture to a bone in his skull which required 21 stitches to repair it.

“You have a previous conviction for assault to permanent disfigurement and others for assault.

“I have come to the conclusion, despite the fact that you have never served a custodial sentence, that nothing other than prison is appropriate.”

Sheriff Gilchrist handed Millar a 33-month prison sentence, discounted to 24 months for his early plea.

Millar, a prisoner at HMP Perth, was also banned from driving for three years and ordered to sit the extended test.

The prison sentence was backdated to August 16 when Millar was first remanded.

It was an unprovoked attack on a stranger with a weapon, a hammer, causing a fracture to a bone in his skull which required 21 stitches to repair it