Insurance fraudster Pascal Blasio – the man responsible for the 2017 gas explosion that injured over 80 people in New Ferry – has been sentenced to 20 years in jail.
“I hope that today (October 23) means the people of New Ferry can now start to draw a line under that night and start to rebuild their lives knowing that Blasio will spend a considerable amount of time paying for his greedy and selfish actions in prison,” stated Assistant Chief Constable Natalie Perischine of Merseyside Police.
The convicted businessman is guilty of causing an explosion likely to endanger life as well as of fraud in relation to the insurance claim submitted to NFU Mutual following the blast at his furniture shop.
“This was a complex, difficult, and somewhat sensitive case, and I commend the police and the fire service for the diligent and painstaking way in which they carried it out,” said Liverpool Crown Court’s Judge Thomas Teague QC.
Aside from the injuries, the botched insurance job also caused damage to more than 60 properties.
