Jilted lover wanted to ‘go out in a blaze of glory

A jilted lover who ploughed his car into his ex-partner’s home so he ‘go out in a blaze of glory’ is facing a lengthy jail sentence.

Edmund Bruton, 42, of Harrow Road, Wembley, smashed his black Peugeot 206 into the lounge of Tara Lavery’s home in Berkshire on February 26 this year.

Inner London Crown Court heard the shocked 41-year-old felt her whole house shake and rushed downstairs to find Bruton in the wreckage.

Jurors heard claims that Bruton hoped to ‘take out as many people possible’ in the failed death mission which demolished the front wall of Ms Lavery’s home.

The debt-ridden hairdresser drank a litre of antifreeze and created a suicide device with a garden fork and screwdriver before ploughing into the house.

Three children under 14, who were in the lounge were fortunate to escape with only minor injuries.

A fourth child was on his way upstairs at the moment of impact trying to hand Ms Lavery her mobile to answer a call.

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?”

Bruton, who owned a hairdressing salon in Wembley, met Ms Lavery on a dating website last year but their relationship deteriorated in January.

The court heard claims that

Bruton could not cope with the end of the relationship and the failure of his business.

He was acquitted of attempted murder and convicted of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and dangerous driving.

Judge Lindsay Burn said it was an ‘unusual and worrying case’ and warned Bruton he was facing a ‘substantial custodial sentence’.

He will be sentenced on October 21.