Chesterfield thug who crashed car into lorry “smashed up” partner’s home

Declan Webster, 33, ploughed into a lorry on August 5 last year after rocketing towards Whittington Moor at 84 mph following a seven-hour drinking session with brothers Michael and Robert Bower.

Shockingly, Webster had a three-year-old child in the car at the time and Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard it was “extreme good fortune” that no-one was injured.

However today the court heard this summer - just weeks before admitting dangerous driving at Whittington Moor - Webster assaulted his partner and his own sister while she was holding her three-year-old child.

Prosecutor Stephen Oldham described how on on July 24 this year while his partner was out Webster used a key to gain entry to her home went on a “rampage”.

Once inside he destroyed a shoe cupboard, ripped and destroyed clothes, smashed up make-up and smeared it across the walls, smashed plates along with “multiple” other items in the kitchen and even put holes in the walls.

The destructive frenzy came about on the same day that the defendant attacked his sister during a family get together at Chesterfield’s Riverside Club.

Mr Oldham said: “The suggestion is that Mr Webster consumed alcohol and goes to the bar – a statement was provided from the person running the club saying he had been unpleasant.

"The allegation is that Mr Webster punched her (his sister) to the face and placed his fingers in her hair and pulled her hair.

"She had a three-year-old child on her hip at the time."

The court heard Webster had admitted assault by beating but on the basis that he had only pushed his sister and not punched her – which the Crown accepted.

Mr Oldham said the Riverside Club assault came the day after Webster slapped his partner in the face and spat at her then pushed her head back during a falling-out while on a family day out at Legoland, Windsor.

A judge heard the assault – which Webster admitted on the basis that he had not pushed his victim – happened while at a Windsor hotel in the evening.

While the previous month, in July, the defendant was said to have kicked his partner while they were at home and “brandished” a metal weight-training bar while threatening her with it.

Again, Webster admitted the assault but on the basis that he was merely holding the metal bar at the time and not making any threats.

The defendant, of Spital Lane, currently remanded into custody for breaching bail conditions not to contact his now ex-partner, admitted three assault charges and one of criminal damage.

His case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

District Judge Andrew Davison, denying Webster bail, told him: “Two women a week are murdered in this country by their partners.

"I have to assess whether you are a risk to your own family and these are not the most serious assaults.

"You say the relationship is over but that’s only your word for it – you could go back tonight and cause mayhem, I’m not going to grant you bail.”

As well as a sentence for the assaults this year Webster is still awaiting sentence at Derby Crown Court for dangerous driving at Whittington Moor in August last year.

David Gittins, defending Webster, said his client had now accepted the relationship with his partner was over.

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