New Ferry blast accused 'unaware' gas supply disconnected

The man accused of causing an explosion that injured 81 people has claimed he did not know his furniture store had a disconnected gas supply.

Pascal Blasio, 57, told Liverpool Crown Court he was not aware a box in the customer toilet contained the gas pipe.

He also said he needed to refinance the business as it was losing hundreds of pounds each month.

Mr Blasio, of Gillingham, Kent denies causing the blast in New Ferry, Wirral, on 25 March 2017 to avoid bankruptcy.

He also denies fraud relating to an insurance claim filed afterwards.

The court previously heard the "apocalyptic" explosion that caused "utter devastation" was an insurance job that went badly wrong and it was "a miracle" no-one died.

Investigations found the blast was caused by a build-up of gas in Mr Blasio's furniture shop, Homes In Style, on Bebington Road.

A cap had been deliberately removed from a pipe and the emergency control valve was turned to allow gas to escape, the jury has heard.

Mr Blasio told the court on Thursday that he had never been told of a disconnected gas supply to the property.

Seven months after Mr Blasio set up his shop it was struggling and days before the blast he was approved for a £30,000 refinancing loan, the jury heard.

The court heard he was losing at least £700 per month and was on the verge of bankruptcy at the time of the blast.

The father of two said he was hounded out of a job at a nearby firm after the explosion and when he started receiving intimidating messages, he decided to sell his house in Wallasey and move out of Merseyside.

The trial continues.