The 'psycho in a Spiderman mask' who turned quiet cul-de-sac into hell

As they unloaded their belongings at their new home, they stopped to introduce themselves. They were met with just two words: "F*** off." The neighbour was Liam Bain, setting the tone for five years of hell.

Tranmoor, and neighbouring Higher Furlong, seemed the ideal choice for a couple planning to retire early. The cosy bungalows are well kept, with neat gardens and ample parking. With local amenities and pleasant walks on the doorstep, the streets seem idyllic.

Many of the neighbours are elderly. Some have lived there for decades. But when Bain moved in with his partner Joanne Hillman, the peaceful community became a prison for many of the residents, LancsLive reports.

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On Monday (June 10, 2024), Bain was jailed for 18 weeks and banned from entering the area for five years after he admitted harassing five of his neighbours. His antics included dressing up in superhero masks and paramilitary face coverings and patrolling the streets.

He swore and spat on gardens, blasted music in the early hours, obstructed their entrance to the estate and regularly flexed his muscles, clenched his fists or performed topless press-ups in the street, dressed only in a pair of shorts. One man, who had cycled the same route for 40 years, was left hiding behind a hedge as menacing Bain followed him in his van and intimidated him.

Workmen were invited to fight the nuisance resident for a £50 bet. A woman in her 70s was left in tears after a humiliating soaking with a hose pipe at the hands of Bain.

Then, in March 2024, he was arrested and bailed with strict conditions to stay away. The residents breathed a sigh of relief.

As he sat in the dock at Preston Crown Court, a dozen neighbours filled the public gallery hoping for an end to their misery. Bain's partner Joanne also sat in court in support of the man at the root of their heartache.

One by one, the neighbours took to the witness box to tell Recorder Kevin Slack, the judge who was to pass sentence, how their lives had been affected by Bain's campaign of abuse.

Mr Atkinson described how Bain would create situations to 'draw him into'. One day, while cutting his tall conifers, Bain's children 'appeared' and began kicking a football around the base of the ladder. Bain and his partner then joined in the dangerous game.

Later, as Mr Atkinson swept up the cuttings, one of the children ran into the road. Bain accused his neighbour of chasing the youngster with the brush, calling the pensioner a 'nonce' and a 'paedo'.

Bain regularly circled the Atkinson's property - sometimes on a child's bike or scooter, shouting 'beep beep! Coming through!'. He would block the path to their home, making it difficult to get their car in the garage, or gesticulate and shout obscenities.

Sometimes, Bain made gun signs with his fingers or wave his fists on the couple's CCTV cameras. He took photographs of his neighbours and shone lasers into their gardens.

'Constant torment left me feeling helpless'

Mr Atkinson said: "The list is endless. He knows even when I am not at home he can play on my CCTV cameras and they will notify me of his sick games. The constant torment left me feeling helpless.

"I don't socialise as much as I used to because if I enter or exit the cul-de-sac he will stalk me. When I ignore him and carry on walking he starts laughing at me. I am a prisoner in my own home.

"We don't go into the lounge anymore because of the constant stalking. We live in the kitchen and a spare bedroom at the rear. We are unable to enjoy the pleasure of our own home.

"I have asked him what I have done to make him hate me so much. I even embarrassed myself by begging him to leave me alone, but that seems to empower him. He is a bully and a psychopath."

The situation was so bad, Mr and Mrs Atkinson tried to arrange mediation with Bain but he refused to engage with the process. Following his arrest he claimed he had been 'victimised' as the youngest resident in the street, but later admitted he should have engaged in mediation.

Mrs Atkinson said: "For five years I endured stalking, bullying, verbal abuse and physical torment from Liam Bain. It has taken its toll. Not a day goes by without persistent, agonising torment. He won't allow me to be visible in any way. He is constantly watching me, hanging out of the front window.

"I can't open my blinds because as soon as he sees a change, he is out there. When I tried to open my blinds, he put a massive plank of wood facing my front window. He had drawn a big, smiley face on it. He then started running up and down the road with his top off, shadow boxing.

"I can't do my garden, if I try to clean my car he is there. He gets very angry if the neighbours socialise. He causes as much disruption as possible. He circles like a shark, and blasts music at 4am. He gets up in the middle of the night, making sure he sets off security lights or Ring doorbells.

"I have sleepless nights, worried about how far he will go. I sit in a layby, frightened to go home. If I hear a noise I jump, because my immediate thought is that it's him."

Retirement spoiled by 'abominable behaviour'

Another neighbour, John Rimmer, 80, suffered Bain's abuse. He said: "To have my life disrupted in this way is a worry to my mental health. I have a desire to live my life without any misery from the actions of Liam Bain.

"My retirement has been spoiled by his behaviour and the lack of ability to go about my life without intimidation is a real cause of concern. We even considered moving from our home to get away from his abominable behaviour.

"This is not something we would have ever considered. Our plan was to maintain our home for our retirement. Unfortunately, when selling your home you have to declare any problems with neighbours. "

Maxine Nightingale, 79, said she showed kindness to Bain's partner, Joanne Hillman, and her children when her partner (before Bain) died. She gave lifts, loaned household items and allowed the children to visit the garden.

But when Bain came on the scene, problems began with Bain standing in the street wearing a Spiderman mask. On one occasion, he squirted a jet of water at Mrs Nightingale's car, causing her to brake suddenly.

Mrs Nightingale worried she had hit something, but when she got out of the car to check, Bain soaked her through with water, causing her to break down in tears. On another occasion, he walked in front of her car as she drove home. As she was stationary, he threw himself into the vehicle, claiming she had hit him.

He was later heard on CCTV telling his partner: "We'll get five grand for this", she said. "It was scary because he deliberately tried to get me into very serious trouble", Mrs Nightingale said.

"I have suffered quite severe anxiety due to his behaviour for 12 years. I have had many nights tossing and turning. I can not express the sadness I feel about my neighbours, most of who are elderly, having to endure this in their best, golden years. They want to enjoy their homes and gardens and chat to neighbours, go on spontaneous walks and they aren't able to do any of these things because he would come out.

"One of my main worries has been if my husband, 80, or my grandson, 26, get involved because I know they would then be in trouble. My grandson now doesn't visit our home. I only see him if I can visit him, or at family events.

"I feel depressed and helpless about our situation. We are people who are good problem solvers usually but we have struggled to find a solution. It is disempowering and I worry about the future.

"Sometimes I have ended up crying - he has really got me down in spirits. I am usually an optimistic person and this is not my usual.

Bain often told Mrs Nightingale: "You lot can't do anything about me". She said her husband was also affected as he was worried about the effect it was having on her.

"We have thought about moving house but we really like where we live", she said. "We have been here 58 years and brought the family up."

Barbara Proctor, 79, has lived in the area since the early 1960s and said there were no issues till Bain moved in. But she said she knew others had moved away because of the defendant's behaviour.

She often saw him wearing a balaclava, walking on her wall, and would find dried dog dirt thrown onto her drive.

Shirley Broom, 83, said Bain would make 'V' signs and stand in the window shaking his fist or shadow boxing. He would beep his horn and flash his headlights, and follow neighbours off the estate. She said he was "increasingly out of control."

In a bid to protect themselves and their homes, many of the neighbours installed CCTV or video doorbells. They kept diaries detailing the bizarre and threatening behaviour and called upon the police to intervene.

Then, in March 2024, Bain was arrested and charged with stalking five of the residents of Tranmoor and Higher Furlong. He was bailed with strict conditions to stay away, forcing him out of the family home where Joanne and the children remained.

He later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of harassment on the understanding he would be subject to a restraining order, to protect his victims - which Recorder Slack said would last for four years.

'Absolute relief'

Mrs Atkinson said: "When he was arrested, I was in shock. I had previously kept going on adrenaline and nerves, trying to support my elderly neighbours. I don't know what to do. I am suddenly allowed to go about my life without consequences. I feel like I have been released from prison after five years of hell.

"I can't believe I am allowed to walk or drive to my property without being stalked. Liam Bain has institutionalised me so much it will take time to get over the fear.

"We have lived in the knowledge that every day we are victims of violence, because violence is not just physical. It leaves scars in our hearts and our souls."

Mr Atkinson said he feels "absolute relief": "I am not having to plan my life around contact with Liam Bain", he said. "I no longer look at the CCTV. My wife and I are laughing and smiling again, enjoying each other's company.

"I don't think either of us has the strength to go through all this pain and suffering again."