A father who used his 32-ton truck to protest at not being allowed to see his children has escaped jail.

Paul Scott blamed his former in-laws for not being given access to his son and daughter.

He drove his lorry, marked Scott and Son, into their back garden to "make a statement" to them.

The 12-wheel truck demolished their shed and fence on February 13 last year, causing £5,000 damage.

Two of the juggernaut's front wheels were ripped off as it hit the 2ft thick concrete base the shed was standing on.

Scott ran off but handed himself in to police the following day.

At his trial in November, a jury at Hove Crown Court found him guilty of dangerous driving but cleared him of endangering life.

He admitted criminal damage.

He was ordered to do 250 hours unpaid community work and was banned from driving for 12 months when he was sentenced yesterday.

Scott, of Huggetts Lane, Eastbourne, said he is setting up a charity to help other fathers who have difficulty getting access to their children.

As he left court yesterday, he said 25 fathers had contacted him after reading about his case in The Argus.

He said: "I regret what I did and would not encourage anyone else to take the law into their own hands.

"It was a fair sentence for what I did for my children."

Judge Guy Anthony told him: "There are, unhappily, many fathers who are unable to see their children.

"Sometimes that may be as a result of the obduracy of their former partner or wife.

"Sometimes there may be good reason why the courts say that should not happen.

"I do not have sufficient information in this case to know whether your grievance is justified or not.

"Even if it were, this is no way for you to behave.

"The correct way of approaching it is through the family courts - not by driving a very large lorry through the back fence of your previous in-laws."

The judge added that if the jury had found Scott guilty of endangering life he would be facing a "significant"

prison sentence.

During his trial Scott, 38, said he had not seen his son and daughter for almost two years following his divorce from former wife Tanya in 2001.

He blamed her parents, Edward and Susan Page, for not being allowed access to them.

Scott said he was shocked when he bumped into them with the children in Eastbourne.

He told the jury: "I didn't know whether to embrace them or walk away because I did not want to cause a scene. I walked away.

He said he was "gutted" by the encounter and spent the next two days churning it over.

Scott added: "I wanted to make a statement and the truck was the only thing I had to do that.

"I set the business up as Scott and Son to hand on to my son in later life.

"The truck had Scott and Son on the side and I was making a statement.

"I was saying I am a father, let me see my son."

Scott admitted he did not get out of his cab to check if anyone was in the Pages' garden.

However, he told the court he could not see anyone there as he drove through the fence at just 9mph.

The Pages were inside their home in Viewswood Path, Uckfield, at the time and were not injured.

Rowan Jenkins, defending, said Scott is no longer running a lorry business.

He works with partner Nici Dyson and is project managing the refurbishment of an Eastbourne hotel.

Scott was also ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs and must take an extended driving test when his ban ends.

After his trial in November he told The Argus he was setting up Fathers and Children Together (FACT).

He said the charity would help fathers denied access to their children share their experiences.

He said: "Fathers have a difficult time and that is apparent from the emails I have had from other fathers.

"I am just waiting for the Charities Commission to send me the paperwork to make us a registered charity.

"Once I get that I will hold events in Brighton and Chiddingly.

"Fathers will be able to meet at a pub with a live band playing.

"All the money raised will go to the charity."

Mr and Mrs Page were in court to see Scott sentenced but did not want to comment after the hearing.