Man who crashed dumper truck into house jailed

A man who drove a stolen dumper truck into a house has been given an eight-year prison sentence.

West Mercia Police said Dean Walker, 54, of no fixed address, put people's lives in danger with his "reckless" actions in September last year.

The force said Walker had been high on cocaine when he stole the vehicle from R&R Plant in Madeley, Telford, before crashing it into the building on Mullinder Drive in Ketley.

He was found guilty of damaging property and putting lives at risk by a jury at a trial last year after already pleading guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and criminal damage.

Police said three people had been inside the house and the occupants had been forced to move out because of the serious structural damage he caused.

Appearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court on 15 June, he was also sentenced for previous offences not relating to the incident in September 2025, which included three counts of arson, one charge of actual bodily harm, four counts of theft and one count of burglary.

As well as the eight-year prison sentence, he was given a 10-year restraining order against his ex-partner and a 100-month driving ban.

Speaking after he was sentenced, Det Con Becky Jasper said: "The actions of Walker that day were extremely dangerous and utterly reckless, and put the lives of three people at serious risk."

She said it was a "shocking incident" and it was "only by luck" that no-one was seriously injured.

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