Watch as drunk JCB digger driver rams home of his brother’s ex-lover in £28,000 ‘revenge attack’ over family feud – as he is handed restraining order after avoiding jail

• Mark Holmes, 56, was drunk when used stolen JCB digger to plough into a house 
• He admitted he ‘completely lost control’ but was spared jail at court today 

A furious drink driver who ploughed a JCB digger into the home of his brother’s former lover in a revenge attack that cost his victim more than £28,000 in repairs has been spared jail.

Mark Holmes, 56, of Penybryn in Caerphilly, was caught on camera repeatedly slamming the heavy machinery into the house owned by a terrified Paula Brown following a family bust-up.

Holmes admitted he ‘completely lost self-control’ after stealing the digger from his son to go on his rampage, which included driving up the street and ramming Ms Brown’s home in Blackwood, South Wales and two cars parked outside.

He was spared an immediate custodial sentence at court and banned from the roads for three years after admitting to aggravated vehicle taking, damaging property, dangerous driving and drink driving.

Neighbours watched in shock as the digger, driven by a drunken Mark Holmes, 56, backed up before lurching forwards towards the house in Blackwood, South Wales, and hit its porch

Holmes admitted he ‘completely lost self-control’ after stealing the digger from his son to go on his rampage, which included driving up the street and ramming Ms Brown’s home in Blackwood, South Wales and two cars parked outside 

‘It was a real demolition job,’ one neighbour said. Pictured: The silver Ford Fiesta car which was damaged by a JCB

Miss Brown was left reeling in horror after watching Holmes drive the stolen JCB digger up the street before ramming it into her house.

Prosecutor James Evans said Holmes caused up to £28,000 of damage to the house after he repeatedly lurched into it in Blackwood, South Wales.

The terrified woman was sitting inside her home with her son when Holmes crashed into her silver Ford Fiesta and blue Ford Focus- with the incident caught on camera by workmen nearby.  

Mr Evans said: ‘Paula Brown is the ex-partner of the defendant’s brother and it seems the relationship had become strained between Mrs Brown and the defendant.

‘At 1pm Mrs Brown was sat with her son in the front room of her home. She saw the JCB vehicle enter her street. She saw it drive into her Ford Focus outside her sitting room.’

Mr Evans added: ‘There were numerous attempts with the JCB to do damage. He reversed repeatedly.’

Neighbours watched in shock as the digger backed up before lurching forwards towards the house, before flipping over a Ford Focus and slamming into the porch.

Newport Crown Court heard Mrs Brown came out of her home before she was hit by the digger and suffered bruising to her leg.

Mr Evans said: ‘She saw that it was the defendant driving the vehicle. He raised the digger arm on the vehicle which made contact with her.

‘It damaged the footwear that she was wearing and caused relatively minor injuries.

‘He drove towards her and continued to ram the Ford Fiesta and to ram her home. He became aware the incident was being filmed so he left.’

The court later heard how Holmes drove to Blackwood Police Station then confessed that he had been drink driving after taking his son’s JCB.

In a victim personal statement, Mrs Brown, who has still not returned home following the incident, said she struggles to sleep following her terrifying ordeal.

She said: ‘I was scared for mine and my son’s life. I thought he was going to kill me.’

Holmes, of Penybryn, Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, damaging property, dangerous driving and drink driving.

He denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm – but admitted the lesser charge of battery.

Defending Marion Lewis said: ‘It seems to be a culmination of family problems, misunderstandings and disagreements which have come to a head.

Pictured: Damage caused to the exterior wall of the house which also had its garden wall and a car damaged by a JCB digger in Blackwood, Wales

Pictured: The house which had its garden wall and a car damaged by a JCB digger in Blackwood, Wales

A wrecked blue Ford Focus outside the house after it was tipped over with the digger

‘He has borne these burdens. Burdens of his brother’s relationship, burdens of caring for his wife, burdens of caring for his children.

‘He completely lost his self control and for that he is truly remorseful.’

Judge Duncan Bould handed Holmes a 16 month sentence suspended for two years.

He said: ‘Whatever resentment you harboured or justifications you gave to yourself in your intoxicated state were not excusable in any way for the behaviour you inflicted on Paula Brown and her property.

‘You perhaps now, on sober reflection, can appreciate what you did and how serious the harm caused to her might have been.’

The judge said the planned incident involved ‘elements of revenge’ – but said remorseful Holmes escaped custody ‘by a whisker’.

Holmes must also wear an alcohol abstinence monitoring tag for 120 days and carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

He was handed a ten year restraining order and disqualified from driving for three years before he must take an extended driving test.

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