Trucker admits ramming HGV into partner's East Kilbride home

A trucker has admitted deliberately ramming his HGV into his girlfriend's home while two children were inside.

Derek Wellington reversed twice into the house in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, causing seven homes to be evacuated and two to be destroyed.

The bill for the damage came to £475,000.

Wellington pled guilty to a string of charges including culpable and reckless conduct to the danger of lives.

The 34-year-old was on bail at the time after a previous incident where he attacked girlfriend Sara Cassidy at a hotel in Edinburgh.

He was told to stay away from the 33-year-old after headbutting her, dragging her and pinning her against a wall.

But, despite the court order, the couple resumed contact and he repeatedly called her on the day of the lorry rage incident on 6 September last year.

The High Court in Glasgow heard Wellington had flown into a drunken rage after Ms Cassidy refused to meet him.

He had screamed down the phone to her: "I am going to park my lorry in your living room."

She was later out on the street near her home in Lancaster Crescent, when she spotted her partner driving past.

Prosecutor Lisa Gillespie QC told the court: "She told him under no circumstances was he to come to the house because there were children there.

"He stated he was coming round any way."

Ms Cassidy tried to calm Wellington by agreeing to meet him on the street nearby but panicked when she saw him in his truck at about 23:00.

Miss Gillespie said: "She was terrified because of his earlier threats and ran back to her house.

"As she did, she heard a loud banging noise and windows smashing.

"Wellington then drove past her again away from the street."

Ms Cassidy then broke down and became hysterical when she found her housing association home "caved in".

A friend who had been inside at the time had spotted Wellington pull up, straighten his lorry and then reverse "at speed" into the property.

Wellington, from Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, repeated the manoeuvre before escaping.

The friend raced to grab the two children and took them outside. The court heard that all were unharmed.

One witness described sounds akin to an "earthquake" as Wellington repeatedly reversed his HGV into Ms Cassidy's house, completely wrecking the property.

When police arrived, Ms Cassidy was on the phone to Wellington who was overheard threatening that he was "coming back to finish it".

He added: "I told you I was going to ram it into your house."

The damaged truck - still carrying a load of woodchips - was found abandoned in a supermarket car park the next morning with Wellington's wallet inside.

The court heard occupants of seven houses had to be evacuated that night.

Those in four of the properties were later able to return, but the damage to Miss Cassidy's home and a next-door neighbour's was so bad that the houses had to be demolished.

The other house needed repair work before it was safe.

Clyde Valley Housing Association ended up with a bill totalling £475,000 due to damage and loss of rental income.

Wellington also pled guilty to assaulting Ms Cassidy in Edinburgh, breaching bail, threatening behaviour and spitting at a police officer.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.