Judge tells 'autistic' St Annes man his condition is 'no excuse' for history of violence against women

A man with a history of violence against women has been warned by a judge he faces a long prison term if he touches another.

Liam Bloor, from St Annes, was spared jail at Preston Crown Court despite assaulting his former girlfriend and causing her to crash her car by grabbing the steering wheel.

Judge Philip Parry was told the 27-year-old suffers from difficulties with alcohol and a neurodiversity condition.

The court heard Bloor is on the autistic spectrum and has a tendency to suffer at times from depression and anxiety, and can become obsessed about things.

He gave him a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years with a number of strict conditions attached.

“You shouldn’t hide behind your diagnosis”

But he told him: “You shouldn’t hide behind your diagnosis. It is no excuse. You know full well you should not attack women.

Sign up for our free newsletters now

“If you re-offend it is coming back to this court and coming before me. I will send you right back into prison and I won’t hesitate.

“If I see you again you are going right back into prison for a long time. Do I make myself clear?”

During his suspended sentence Bloor has been ordered to complete up to 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He will have to take part in a Building Better Relationships programme and will be subject to alcohol abstinence monitoring for two years. He will also be required to do 100 hours unpaid work.

The court heard that Bloor had assaulted his then girlfriend after she complained he was taking too long in the shower. She suffered a gash to her lip.

Then one night he smelled of drink when she picked him up from work. They went home, shared a bottle of wine and she went to bed.

Later he asked her to get up and drive his friends home from the pub. After she had done that the couple started arguing as she drove home and Bloor grabbed the steering wheel causing the car to veer off course and collide with two parked cars.

When the car came to a halt he shouted: “What have you done?”

The noise of the collision woke neighbours and the police were called. Just before they arrived Bloor made off from the scene leaving his partner to face the music.

She was taken to the police station where she was found to be under the drink-drive limit.

When she told officers her boyfriend had caused the crash by grabbing the wheel he was arrested. He made “no comment” answers to all questions.

As a result of the collision she suffered an injury to her leg and whiplash. But the court heard she suffered “emotional trauma” due to Bloor’s behaviour. She was troubled by nightmares and other sleep issues.

Judge Parry was told this was not the first time Bloor had caused a car to crash by grabbing the steering wheel. Back in 2017 he was convicted of dangerous driving by doing the same thing when another woman was driving.

His previous convictions also included wounding – by smashing a woman across the face with a bottle, for which he was sentenced to 22 months in prison – and assault.

You can read about Bloor’s previous assaults in our 2017 court report here.

In the most recent case, where he pleaded guilty to assault and dangerous driving, he was still on licence from a previous jail term.

The couple had been in a relationship since April 2023, but within two months it had begun to deteriorate and had become “toxic” for both parties.

Judge Parry told Bloor his actions in the car that night had shown a “disregard for the safety of others.” He said he had caused considerable danger to other road users, then he had run off and tried to blame his girlfriend.

“You persuaded her to collect your friends from the pub. You were in the passenger seat, you were aggressive towards her and you were plainly worse for wear because of drink.

“You pulled the steering wheel, caused it (the car) to crash into parked cars. When you got out you blamed her and ran away.

“It was a cowardly action and led to her being arrested and held in custody.

“She was injured from the vehicle collision and from (your) assault the week before. She lost a job (opportunity)  and also money she had to lose as a result of insurance excess payments.

“That’s what you did to that girl. You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself.

“You do tend to offend against women in a domestic situation. These are very serious offences, made more serious by your (offending) history.”

Members of Bloor’s family were in court to hear him sentenced. The court was told they were supporting him and he had a job at the family restaurant in Blackpool.

“Your family have all stuck their neck on the block for you and support you,” said Judge Parry. “Hurting women, that’s what you do. Yet they stand by you time and time again.

“They have blind loyalty. (But) there will come to a point, if you don’t change your ways, where they will turn their back on you because they will have no option.

“There will come a time you will go back to prison for longer and longer periods of time.”

The judge said that he had “only just been persuaded” to suspend the two-year jail sentence instead of imposing it immediately.

Bloor was ordered to pay his victim £500 in compensation.