Scott Blackburn sentenced for deliberately ploughing into the front of a Morphett Vale early learning centre

A furious father crashed into the front of an early learning centre, causing more than $100,000 worth of damage, because he was told off for picking up his child early. SEE THE VIDEO

An angry father, furious that staff at a day care centre had told him off for picking his child up early caused more than $100,000 of damage when he crashed through the front of the building in his car.

Scott Blackburn handed himself into police the day after the crash and admitted flooring the accelerator.
However, a judge has held that a disastrous business venture and rising debts meant he did not have to pay compensation for the damages.

On Tuesday, District Court Judge Paul Muscat said the circumstances around Blackburn’s charge of causing property damage were “unusual”.

During sentencing submissions James Watson, prosecuting, told the court Blackburn had pleaded guilty to causing the property damage through “reckless indifference”.

The court heard the incident stemmed from Blackburn’s attendance at the early learning centre in Morphett Vale earlier in the day.

He had been told off by a childcare worker for picking up his child earlier than was scheduled as part of an agreement with his ex-partner.

A still of mobile phone footage showing the car embedded in the front of the building. Picture: 10 News First Adelaide

His early attendance to pick up the child was reported to his ex-partner.

Judge Muscat said Blackburn’s animosity with the director of the early learning centre had been gradually growing over several months.

As a form of protest, a furious Blackburn took some of his children’s toys and went to the early learning centre late in the evening of June 16, 2020.

He set up the toys in a barricade across the driveway. His then partner arrived with a friend to try and calm down Blackburn, but their words had the opposite effect.

They are not accused of any wrongdoing.

The crash caused almost $110,000 damage. Photo Sam Wundke

Scott Blackburn has received a suspended jail sentence for driving into the front of a childcare centre. Picture: Supplied

“Rather than calming matters down it only inflamed the situation,” he said.

“You were already in a distressed state, you were in no mood to be spoken to about what you took to be an unfair complaint.”

A neighbour filmed the final parts of the interaction where Blackburn was yelling and shouting before trying to leave the carpark at speed.

He lost control of the car, mounted a kerb and crashed into the front of the building.

Dazed and bleeding, Blackburn drove away but handed himself in to police the next morning.

The court heard the crash had caused almost $110,000 worth of damages. Mr Watson asked the court to order Blackburn to pay compensation.

Judge Muscat said Blackburn had sunk all his savings into a gin distillery in O’Halloran Hill shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic.

The business had folded and he had been left with significant debts. Judge Muscat declined to order he pay compensation.

Blackburn was sentenced to nine months and 15 days in prison which was fully suspended.