Daily Express

Vengeful dad crashes truck into love rival’s restaurant

- By Paul Jeeves

A JILTED lover drove a pickup truck into a restaurant after learning the owner was having an affair with the mother of his children.

Christophe­r Brassingto­n, who built a property empire worth millions before suffering a breakdown in 2007, caused £ 120,000 of damage in scenes described as “just like a Tarantino movie”.

The 39- year- old was more than twice the drink- drive limit after downing six pints of lager with friend Nigel Coxon who gave him the news of his ex- girlfriend’s relationsh­ip, prosecutor Matthew Harding told Leeds Crown Court.

“He thought he was aware of the relationsh­ip but the defendant appeared surprised,” Mr Harding said.

Brassingto­n jumped into the Toyota Hilux and set off for the restaurant Rinaldis Ristorante Italiano in Wakefield with his friend beside him. Mr Coxon assumed he was preparing to confront the owner, Glyn Margrave.

But instead after they saw the restaurant was in darkness Brassingto­n revved the truck five times and exclaimed “I’m sorry” before accelerat-

The pick- up truck caused £ 120,000 damage to the restaurant in ‘ a moment of madness’. Above, Brassingto­n outside court yesterday ing into the building. “Both men were screaming as glass was shattering and tables and chairs were being scattered,” the prosecutor said.

The truck went 15ft inside before coming to rest against a supporting pillar.

An alarm went off and smoke poured out of the building as Brassingto­n stayed in the driver’s seat hitting the accelerato­r and spinning the wheels. “Staff at a nearby supermarke­t saw him trying to do a three- point turn,” added Mr Harding. When police arrived Brassingto­n had to be hauled from the wreckage.

He later said he was undergoing electric shock therapy and could not remember the incident. He has two previous drink- drive conviction­s in 2001 and in 2011, the court heard.

Jonathan Walker, defending, said his client built the business in his 20s and early 30s before breaking down. Since then he has suffered from bipolar disorder and depression and has a drink problem for which he takes medication.

Mr Walker said it was a “moment of madness” adding: “The couple split up a number of years earlier and hadn’t seen one another for some considerab­le time. Thankfully the restaurant was empty. This was a bizarre scene as if it had been taken from a Quentin Tarantino movie.”

Judge Shaun Spencer deferred sentence for six months saying he needed to know whether Brassingto­n was responding to treatment. He said: “It seems clear that you were upset that the man was pursuing a relationsh­ip with your former partner. It is clear that the commission of these offences was motivated by malice. It had its roots in your manic condition and was also fuelled by alcohol.”

Brassingto­n, of Honley, Huddersfie­ld, admitted drinkdrivi­ng, dangerous driving, criminal damage, driving while banned and having no insurance on January 7.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom