AN ARGUMENT with his girlfriend prompted Darren Haakanson to try and kill himself by smashing his car into her home.

Swindon Crown Court was told that the 33-year-old ploughed his Renault Espace into Kerry Dobson's Penhill Drive home after the couple had argued in January.

Sentencing him to jail for two-and-a-half years, Judge Charles Wade said: "I understand you were so depressed you were really intent on suicide. I do accept that this intention was reckless."

Father-of-three Haakanson, of Pewsham Road, Swindon, slumped to the floor of the dock when the sentence was imposed.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to damaging property on January 7, damaging property being reckless on January 22 and a further charge of damaging property on January 22.

Prosecuting, Rob Welling said: "The background of all three offences appears to have been a breakdown of the relationship between the defendant and his partner of about two years, Kerry Dobson, who was divorced."

Mr Welling said that though the relationship was happy for 18 months, it deteriorated due to Haakanson's jealousy prompted by the presence of Miss Dobson's former husband.

He said the couple's relationship became "on and off" and at 2.30am on January 7 Haakanson visited Miss Dobson.

"She admitted she had been seeing someone else," Mr Welling said. "The defendant's mood changed and he began to cause damage."

The court heard how Haakanson kicked a hi-fi, clock, and fireplace as well as tearing off doors from kitchen units, before telling Miss Dobson: "This is how much I love you."

After being bailed by magistrates following the offence, he returned to Miss Dobson's home in the early hours of January 22.

When she failed to open the front door, and following a heated telephone conversation, Haakanson returned to the house.

Mr Welling said: "The defendant telephoned her and he was abusive, ranting and raving. He accused her of seeing other people and he said he was going to drive into her house. Five minutes later she heard a very loud crash that was the defendant in his Renault Espace vehicle driving through the front wall of the premises."

The court heard the vehicle smashed into the ground floor of the home, causing some £20,000 damage.

Haakanson admitted smashing up a table at the police station when he was being interviewed for the offence.

Defending, Francis Chamberlain said Haakanson was a self-employed taxi driver who had worked hard to help Miss Dobson, who had suffered health problems.

Haakanson faced debts of £25,000, said Mr Chamberlain.

He added that after the couple split, and following the first incident of criminal damage, Miss Dobson made "difficult" calls to Haakanson which "wound him up".

"She told him 'just run into a wall' and he accelerated into her house. He made no attempt to brake and wore no seat belt. He didn't expect to survive that collision. He was in a depressed state and he was attempting to commit suicide. He should have had Kerry Dobson on his mind. He tried to kill himself and wound her psychologically by doing it in front of her."

The court heard that Haakanson, who had been diagnosed as clinically depressed, was of previous good character.

"There is no excuse for what he did," Mr Chamberlain added.