Man jailed after assaulting women at pub and speeding on M1

Liam Loughran, 29, was sentenced to three years and one month imprisonment at Luton Crown Court last Thursday (April 2) after previously pleading guilty to the following offences during separate hearings:

• Dangerous driving
• Threats to damage/destroy property
• Actual bodily harm (ABH)
• Common assault
• Criminal damage
• Grievous bodily harm (GBH)

The charges relate to several unrelated incidents which occurred between January 2024 and June 2025.

On January 10, 2024, police received reports that a Mercedes was being driven erratically after leaving a pub. The vehicle then failed to stop for Road Policing Unit officers multiple times, travelling along the M1 at speeds in excess of 150mph. It exited along the hard shoulder at junction 8, where it lost control and crashed outside Breakspear Park. Loughran was seen to climb out of the driver’s seat.

Officers from the Case Investigation Team picked up the investigation and Loughran was bailed while protracted enquiries continued to progress the case and secure charges.

Loughran previously lived in Hemel Hempstead. (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)

Detective Constable Christopher Blount, who investigated the driving offences, said: “Loughran’s actions that evening showed a complete disregard for public safety. He chose to travel at extreme speeds, placing innocent people in serious danger and forcing officers to put themselves at risk, to prevent what could have easily resulted in catastrophic consequences.”

The following month, it was reported that Loughran was involved in an altercation with three women at a pub in Hemel Hempstead. He assaulted two of them by striking them to the face and made threats to burn down their houses.

At a later date, he destroyed a car belonging to a woman known to the victims. Windows, bodywork and lights were smashed, resulting in the car being written off.

Then in June 2025, Loughran visited a nightclub in Hemel Hempstead town centre. He approached the bar and punched a man in the face, causing him to fall to the floor and lose consciousness. The assault was unprovoked and left the victim requiring hospital treatment.

Loughran, who previously lived in Hemel Hempstead before moving to Brightlingsea in Essex, was again arrested in October, on his 29th birthday, and charges were sought against him. He was remanded into custody, awaiting a trial.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to all offences pre-trial as follows:

• March 2026 - Assault, ABH, assault by beating, criminal damage and threats to destroy or damage property.
• January 2026 – GBH.
• October 2025 – Dangerous driving.

Detective Constable Jake Smith, who investigated the assaults and criminal damage, added: “It’s clear that Loughran is a dangerous individual who has continued to re-offend over a short period of time. He inflicted violence on others in frightening, and unprovoked attacks. We are absolutely clear that violence has no place in our communities or our night‑time economy, and we worked hard to bring the case before the courts.”