Court hears he warned ex-partner he would do something to make him famous

A spurned lover drank a litre of antifreeze before trying to murder his ex-partner in a failed suicide bid, a court heard.

Edmund Bruton, 42, of Harrow Road, Wembley, warned Tara Lavery he would become ‘famous’ shortly before smashing his car through her lounge wall.

Inner London Crown Court heard claims he hoped to ‘take out as many people possible’ .

The estimated 80mph collision, demolished the front wall of the terraced property in Berkshire, on February 26 this year.

Charles Ward-Jackson, prosecuting, said three of Ms Lavery’s children, who were in the lounge at the time, escaped with minor injuries.

Ms Lavery and a fourth child were upstairs at the time.

Bruton was also injured after allegedly propping a garden fork between the steering wheel and his neck before the crash.

Police found two texts to Ms Lavery on his mobile phone, which he sent while sitting in the wreck.

One said: ‘You could have avoided it if you’d answered me.’

The other read: ‘Tara will you be waiting for me in hell?’

The court heard Bruton had a number of difficulties at the time including his mother being hospitalised and his beauty salon facing financial difficulties.

The court heard the couple met on a dating website in May last year.

But by January of this year the relationship had hit the rocks.

Mr Ward-Jackson said on Ms Lavery’s birthday, when the relationship was on its ‘last legs’ the couple met for a meal and he said he would do something to make him famous.

Bruton denies the attempted murder of one or more of the occupants of Ms Lavery’s home, criminal damage with intent to endanger life in the same terms, criminal damage reckless as to whether life is endangered and dangerous driving.

The trial continues.