A gay domestic abuser, Liam Corcoran, assaulted his partially-blind ex-partner and subsequently sprayed him in the eye with hairspray.
Liam Corcoran had been in a four-year relationship with a man who expressed that he often felt as like he was ‘stepping on eggshells,’ uncertain of the 23-year-old’s mood each morning.
“Some days it was fine, others it was a complete nightmare,” the man said.
Things came to a head on September 28 last year when the couple were standing outside a takeaway in the early hours of the morning, following a night out in Manchester city centre.
“The defendant was having a go at him about ‘ruining the night’ before he hit him to the face. There were minimum injuries and the matter was reported to the police,” prosecutor Steve Woodman told Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
Days later, on October 6, they had separately returned home from being out in the city centre. On arrival Liam Corcoran began to shout at their dogs, and in turn his former partner told him not to.
Liam Corcoran then ‘pinned him to the floor’ and ‘pounded him with punches’, the court heard.
“The [victim] was struggling to defend him. He was then able to kick out and kicked the defendant in the face to defend himself,” Mr Woodman continued.
“This made the defendant get off him, but the defendant returned to the room with a canister of hairspray. He then pinned [the victim] onto the bed and sprayed the hairspray into his eye.
“He targeted his eyesight, which was already limited, which made this a personal assault.”
The victim said something inside of him ‘flipped’ and he ran at Liam Corcoran in an attempt to rugby tackle him but Liam Corcoran pushed him away. He was left with significant injuries to his face, it was said.
The next day, the man saw messages between Liam Corcoran and his mum, in which he admitted ‘slashing’ him with an electric razor during the attack.
The police were called and Liam Corcoran was arrested. He accepted attacking his partner twice and said he had apologised. He also said he was ‘mentally unstable’ at the time.
He has since pleaded guilty to assault by beating and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
In a brief victim personal statement, the man said: “This was the most honest I have been able to be in the last five years. I was so afraid, I felt abused financially, physically and mentally over the years and I’m happy never to deal with him again.”
Mr Woodman said the victim has since retracted the statement, stating he was severely concerned about Corcoran’s wellbeing.
Mitigating for Liam Corcoran, who had no previous convictions, Joseph Foxler said there were ‘two sides to every story’, and that there was ‘no possibility of further problems’ as he had moved on with a new partner.
“His presentence report writer says he needs help and support. He has now got a settled address, he does have learning difficulties and this sentence has been hanging over his head for a long time,” Mr Foxler said.
Liam Corcoran, of Mill Lane, Wythenshawe, was handed an 18 month community order.
Sentencing, the presiding JP said: “Let me tell you, some of the things you have done during these episodes have been absolutely atrocious.
“You need to get your life together, young man. You can’t be doing this sort of thing. It’s a disgrace – you could have permanently blinded him.”
Liam Corcoran must complete 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, 200 hours unpaid work and £199 in court costs will be deducted from his benefits.
In 2012, Liam Corcoran, then aged 11, had boarded a flight to Rome after evading five security checks, which made national headlines.
.He had no passport or boarding pass and said that no-one challenged him throughout the journey.
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