Jail for man who went on rampage and drove car into house
Thomas Ferguson was jailed after he drove a car into his ex-wife's home in St Ives. - Credit: Archant
A man who harassed his ex-wife and drove a car into her house has been jailed.
Thomas Ferguson, 52, began harassing his ex-wife of 18-years after their marriage broke down in February.
On Sunday, May 3, he started sending the victim, a woman in her forties, a string of messages which became offensive in nature.
During a two-day spree, he sent 43 threatening messages to the victim and a photograph of him holding a knife up to his face.
On May 7, Ferguson was arrested on suspicion of harassment and later bailed. However, despite conditions stipulating that he could not contact the victim, on May 17 he sent her a distressed message which suggested he wanted to harm himself.
The victim immediately attempted to try and find him and in a subsequent phone call, he told her he had cut himself.
The woman found Ferguson’s vehicle parked in a pub car park in Overcote Lane, Needingworth, and as she went to check on him, he lifted his arm up to show his injuries before driving off.
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The victim followed him in the car to where he stopped further down the road. When she got out to talk to him, Ferguson said “You have done this, I am going to drive into the house” before making off at speed.
When the victim drove to her home in Needingworth she found Ferguson had driven into the property, causing extensive damaged and making it unliveable.
Police were alerted and Ferguson, of the Furlongs, Needingworth, was arrested at the scene.
He admitted charges of dangerous driving, criminal damage and stalking and was sentenced to 40 months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court today (June 25).
He was also handed an indefinite restraining order and his disqualification from driving for two years, extended by 19 months.
DC Neil Patrick said: “Ferguson put both himself and those around him in extreme danger and it’s sheer luck that no one was seriously injured as a result of him driving into the property.
“His rampage caused the victim huge amounts of distress, leaving her home severely damaged.
“I hope this sentence gives the victim some measure of comfort and closure and Ferguson has time to reflect on his actions.”