Dad who tried to kill four children has sentence increased by 10 years

Owen Scott, aged 29, beat his three children and one stepchild with a hammer before deliberately driving into the wall of a pub near Barnsley at over 90mph.

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He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 13 years and 188 days.

But today, following an appeal lodged by Solicitor General’s Robert Buckland QC MP, the Court of Appeal increased his minimum term to 24 years.

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All four children were left with serious injuries after the attack and collision, with medical reports suggesting there may be lasting psychological damage and cognitive impairment.

Two of the children require ongoing medical attention, and one will be wheelchair bound for life.

Commenting on the sentence increase, the Solicitor General said: "Four children’s lives have been devastated by Scott’s actions, and the physical and mental scars will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

"I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed to increase Scott’s sentence to properly reflect the seriousness of his crime."

Scott attempted to kill the children by ploughing into the outside wall of a pub near Penistone, Barnsley, on August 22, last year.

He had struck them all over their heads with a hammer beforehand.

He was driving at over 90 mph when he crashed into the Travellers Inn on Four Lane Ends, Oxspring, Barnsley, without attempting to brake.

The children were aged between nine months old and eight at the time of the collision.

Scott, of Heather Road, Fawley, Hampshire, had taken the youngsters from his former partner's home after he had used coke and cannabis.

While suffering from drug-induced psychosis he then disappeared with the children for two days.

He had believed he was fleeing the clutches of an 'evil gang' and 'protecting' his children from harm, Sheffield Crown Court heard.