Daniel Morgan, from Aberdare, was sentenced on Thursday 14 May at Merthyr Crown Court to three years and six months in prison.
He previously plead guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, property damage over £5,000, dangerous driving and criminal damage recklessly endangering life.
On the evening of Thursday 4 December 2025, Morgan had been drinking at the New Inn, in the hamlet of Cefn Rhigos, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Targeted attack
He left the pub making threats he would attack the venue with a bulldozer. Later that evening, Morgan went to Cefn Farm, where he stole a bulldozer by driving it through the shed it was stored in.
Morgan continued to drive the bulldozer down the main road where he hit and pushed over an Isuzu Truck, before reaching the New Inn, where he smashed into the front porch twice causing extensive damage.
A member of the public tried to stop the offender with a trailer and pickup truck by blocking the road, but he drove straight over them, crushing both the truck and the trailer.
Members of Morgan’s family then used a digger to try and stop him progressing any further. Using the bucket of the digger they managed to successfully stop Morgan, who was then arrested in the cab of the bulldozer.
Detective Sergeant Jenna Herbert described the attack on the family-run pub as “targeted” and “thoughtless”.
She continued: “Morgan has caused substantive damage to both the pub and multiple vehicles, it’s lucky that no one was seriously hurt in this incident. Morgan will now serve time in prison where he can think about his actions.”
Beloved pub
Shortly after the incident, a fundraising campaign was launched on Go Fund Me to cover the cost of the repairs to the building and lost revenue. At the time of publication, £2,455 had been raised.
The fundraiser stated: “Our family’s beloved pub was devastated when someone drove a bulldozer into the building, forcing them to close during what should have been their busiest, fully booked Christmas period.
“This has left the team heartbroken, facing unexpected damage, lost income and huge uncertainty at the worst possible time. We’re asking for any support to help with immediate costs and to get the pub back on its feet.
“Every donation, no matter the size, means the world to our family and to the community that loves this pub so much.”
