News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A dad who tried to murder his three young kids and stepdaughter by hitting them with a hammer then crashing a car into a pub wall has been jailed for life.

Owen Scott, 29, will serve at least 14 years behind bars after driving the vehicle, with the four children inside, into the front wall of a South Yorkshire pub at 92mph.

His seven-year-old daughter lost a large part of her skull in the attack, is partially paralysed and will be wheelchair-dependant for the rest of her life, a court heard today.

Scott's 21-month-old son, nine-month-old baby boy and eight-year-old stepdaughter also suffered severe injuries - from which they are still recovering, it was said.

(Image: Facebook)

(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com) (Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com)

The attack took place in the early hours of August 23 last year.

The judge, Mrs Justice O'Farrell, told the defendant: "You will have to live for the rest of your life knowing that you have damaged, in some cases irrecoverably, the health, both physically and psychologically, of your children."

Scott drove the youngsters into the wall of The Travellers Inn in Barnsley after attacking them with a hammer during a drug-induced psychotic episode.

As officers rescued the children from the "horrific" crash scene, a blood-stained hammer was found in the car, police said.

The victims were all taken to hospital in a serious condition, with injuries "not all thought to be consistent with the collision", they added.

(Image: SWNS.COM) (Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com)

Scott, of Fawley, Hampshire, was detained by officers after the crash, which took place in the borough's Oxspring area at about 12.25am.

Last month, he admitted four counts of attempted murder and one count of dangerous driving in the dock at Sheffield Crown Court.

And today, the dad was sentenced to life behind bars. He was told he must serve a minimum term of 14 years for his offences.

Simon Kealey QC, prosecuting, told the court that Scott's daughter lost a large section of her skull in the attack.

He said she is still in hospital, nearly six months on.

At a previous hearing, prosecutors said Scott had used a hammer to inflict blows on the children in the car.

(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com)

(Image: South Yorkshire Police)

They said he had then driven deliberately at the front wall of the pub, on the A629 between Sheffield and Huddersfield.

Michelle Colborne QC, defending, said Scott had "little or no memory" of events in the car and had undergone a psychiatric evaluation.

But she said although he was found to be suffering from a "short-lived psychosis" at the time, this was not enough to amount to a psychiatric defence to attempted murder.

She said: "There is mitigation which demonstrates that, at the time, it was likely he was suffering from a psychosis, short lived, affecting his ability to rational thought and self control, but falls short of a defence."

Speaking after today's sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector David Stopford, of South Yorkshire Police, described the crime scene last August.

(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com) (Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS.com)

He said: “The scene, when officers first attended, was so horrific that they were astounded to find the children were alive.

“A blood-stained hammer was found in the car as officers were rescuing the children and it soon became clear that the injuries they had suffered, were consistent with this rather than the collision.

“The children were all left with serious head injuries, some of which included numerous skull fractures and bleeding to the brain.

"Medical experts said that their injuries were consistent with being hit with a blunt object – most likely the hammer found in the car.”

Scott was initially arrested at the scene for driving offences, but the charges were later upgraded to four counts of attempted murder following the discovery of the hammer and the extent of the injuries.

(Image: SWNS.com) (Image: Internet Unknown)

DCI Stopford added: “This has been without doubt, one of the most harrowing cases I’ve worked on, the ordeal those young children were subjected to was utterly horrendous and I’m pleased that Scott has today been jailed for a significant length of time.

“Three of the four children are now recovering at home with their family. One of the children, a seven-year-old girl, is still receiving treatment in hospital today but we are hopeful she will soon be able to be at home with her family and her siblings.

"I’d like to praise and thank the efforts of everyone who attended the scene that day and who has worked on the case. In particular, I’d also like to thank the medical staff at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and staff at Leeds General Infirmary for the care and treatment they provided and who were very helpful with providing early evidence to us.”