By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 12:48, Saturday, 24 November 2012

A man deliberately rammed his ex-girlfriend’s car after she dumped him.

Daniel Spriggs also trashed Rachel Foggin’s house, slashed her underwear, smashed her car with a table and bombarded her with phone calls after the breakdown of their relationship.

The 25-year-old – who in February last year was jailed for his part in a drugs conspiracy – had already been in court for “thumping” a previous girlfriend.

Then, when she ended her relationship, he became violent towards her too, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

On one occasion, after sending her several text messages asking her to get back together, he let himself into her house.

When he left he picked up a table and attacked her car with it, causing £2,000 damage by denting the roof and bonnet and smashing the windscreen, prosecutor Becky McGregor said.

Over three days in August he phoned her more than 130 times, still hoping for a reconciliation.

The worst incident involved Spriggs driving to her work and parking his car near hers – effectively lying in wait for her when she finished work, Ms McGregor said.

When she came out and drove away he followed close behind her, ramming her car from behind – and phoning her as he did so.

In panic she did a U-turn back into the car park, and he followed her, ramming into the side of her car as she stopped.

A CCTV video of the incident shown to the court showed her having to jump out of the way as Spriggs drove towards her after she got out of her car to go back into the factory.

Spriggs then drove off in his badly damaged car, with at least one of his tyres punctured.

“Ms Foggin was very shaken up,” Ms McGregor said.

The court heard that Ms Foggin told the police that the past few months – with Spriggs in prison on remand – were the first for a long time when she was not living in fear of him.

“He has been physically and mentally abusive towards her and she now wants to be free of him,” Ms McGregor said.

Spriggs, of Infirmary Road, Workington, pleaded guilty to harassment and dangerous driving.

Defence barrister Elizabeth Muir said he now accepted that his relationship with Ms Foggin was “well and truly over”.

He was jailed for 22 months.

First published at 12:44, Saturday, 24 November 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk