Man who ‘hated his job’ went on JCB rampage

A man who went on a JCB rampage at a Todmorden tip which caused up to £400,000 damage has been jailed for three years.Trevor Lewis, 59, of Station Road, Hebden Bridge, planned the attack over four days because he “hated his job”. Bradford Crown Court heard that Lewis bought diesel the night before the attack and changed the padlocks of the Eastwood waste recycling facility on July 19, so that he could carry out his plan without interruption.After feeling that “his work place destroyed him”, Lewis, suffering with severe depression, wrote a letter to his wife, who wept in court, telling her he loved her before he left that morning.Lewis changed the padlocks of the gates that morning so nobody else could enter and gathered some tyres and set fire to a cabin. He unlocked the JCB and conducted a systematic destruction of the centre.Armed police and fire crews attended the scene but could not enter amid safety fears. Lewis eventually turned off the engine and threw the keys to the police and was arrested.The court heard that Lewis’s rampage caused between £300,000 and £400,000 damage. Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said: “The defendant went to some length to make sure he was the only person on the site when he committed the crime.”The court heard that Lewis had grown to hate his place of work because a recent redevelopment had meant he had to climb more stairs, causing serious pain to his knee.Just four days before the incident, a member of the public had complained about Lewis, which was said to have “aggravated a breakdown”, added Mr Ritchie.Kieron Green, defending, said that Lewis told police during an interview that he would like to “destroy the place like it destroyed his health”.“It seemed that the site itself almost took human form. It was ruining his life,” Mr Green added.Judge David Hatton QC, said: “When you entered the premises in the morning you destroyed just about everything that was capable of being destroyed. The cost of your actions is immense in financial terms and

Picture shows Trevor Lewis, 59 arriving at Bradford Crown Court

Trevor Lewis, 59, of Station Road, Hebden Bridge, planned the attack over four days because he “hated his job”.

Bradford Crown Court heard that Lewis bought diesel the night before the attack and changed the padlocks of the Eastwood waste recycling facility on July 19, so that he could carry out his plan without interruption.

After feeling that “his work place destroyed him”, Lewis, suffering with severe depression, wrote a letter to his wife, who wept in court, telling her he loved her before he left that morning.

Lewis changed the padlocks of the gates that morning so nobody else could enter and gathered some tyres and set fire to a cabin.

He unlocked the JCB and conducted a systematic destruction of the centre.

Armed police and fire crews attended the scene but could not enter amid safety fears.

Lewis eventually turned off the engine and threw the keys to the police and was arrested.

The court heard that Lewis’s rampage caused between £300,000 and £400,000 damage.

Duncan Ritchie, prosecuting, said: “The defendant went to some length to make sure he was the only person on the site when he committed the crime.”

The court heard that Lewis had grown to hate his place of work because a recent redevelopment had meant he had to climb more stairs, causing serious pain to his knee.

Just four days before the incident, a member of the public had complained about Lewis, which was said to have “aggravated a breakdown”, added Mr Ritchie.

Kieron Green, defending, said that Lewis told police during an interview that he would like to “destroy the place like it destroyed his health”.

“It seemed that the site itself almost took human form. It was ruining his life,” Mr Green added.

Judge David Hatton QC, said: “When you entered the premises in the morning you destroyed just about everything that was capable of being destroyed. The cost of your actions is immense in financial terms and to the community.

“I would be failing in my public duty if I gave you any less because it is a serious offence.”

Lewis has not been prosecuted for damages but could face civil court action at a later date.

Lewis, who must pay a £125 victim surcharge, has not faced any action for the damage he caused but could be taken to a civil court at a later date.

The recycling centre on Halifax Road, Todmorden, will be closed until at least November as repair works are carried out.