By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:47, Tuesday, 16 October 2012

A former soldier used his car as a “battering ram” to crash into his in-laws’ house in a warped suicide attempt following the break-up of his marriage, a court heard.

Adrian Mounsey, 39, drove his grey BMW straight at the house in Standingstone Heights, Wigton, knowing that his wife, two young sons and his parents-in-law were inside.

Bricks were sent flying up to 20ft across the lounge.

A judge at Carlisle Crown Court said it was “a mercy” that he had not killed anyone – especially his ten-year-old son who would normally have been sitting on the floor just inside the window watching television.

Mounsey, who left the Royal Signals with an exemplary record, pleaded guilty to causing £20,000 damage to the house while being reckless as to whether people’s lives were endangered.

Prosecutor Dick Binstead told the court Mounsey and his wife Helena had lived in Brayton Road, Aspatria, until April 28 when she and their two sons, aged ten and seven, went to live with her parents in Wigton.

And just after noon on June 3 he spent more than nine minutes on the phone to her father complaining that his life was over, Mr Binstead.

At the end of that phone call Mounsey told his father-in-law to make sure nobody was in the lounge.

But before he could warn the rest of his family he heard screams as the car came through the wall, the court heard.

Mounsey’s mother-in-law was sitting with his elder son in shock on the settee, with rubble all around them.

Mounsey was found sitting in the wreckage of his car, brandishing a Stanley knife. After a short struggle with his father-in-law he ran off towards Wigton cemetery, where a police officer found him with a gash to his wrist..

Defence barrister David Birrell said: “Mounsey is devastated that he endangered the lives of those closest to him.”

Passing sentence, Judge Paul Batty QC told Mounsey: “This was a truly terrifying episode. Anyone could so easily have been killed.”

Mounsey was banned from driving for 12 months. He will serve half of a two-year sentence in jail before being released on licence.

First published at 12:14, Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk