"You are dangerous behind the wheel" judge tells Sheffield driver who sped off with man hanging off bonnet
He also stalked his ex-girlfriend and threatened to burn her house down
A Sheffield driver who sped off as an elderly man held onto his van bonnet and later drove deliberately at a woman he was stalking has been jailed.
Liam Bishop, of Colley Drive, Parson Cross, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on November 10 over a shocking record of police chases, dangerous driving and frightening threats towards his ex.
It included an occasion when an elderly man tried to stop the 27-year-old from driving off from the scene after bumping his van - but Bishop drove off anyway despite the victim hanging onto this bonnet.
He also stalked his ex-girlfriend and barraged her with threatening texts and voicemails - culminating in an incident where he drove his van at her.
“You’ve demonstrated you are dangerous behind the wheel,” said His Honour Judge Charles Thomas KC as he locked Bishop up.
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Speeding away with elderly man on his bonnet
On July 29, 2025, an elderly man was in traffic on Lindsay Avenue, Parson Cross, when Bishop, whose path was blocked by another vehicle, reversed his van into his car.
Bishop, who had no insurance or valid licence, refused to swap details with the other driver and instead pressured him to “shake hands and walk away”.
But when the other driver insisted, Bishop got back in his van and went to drive off, so the man stood in the way of his van.
“The defendant continued to drive away,” said prosecutor Mark Bates in court.
“By this time the elderly man was hanging off the defendant’s vehicle.
“The defendant sped up, and the victim was thrown to the floor - thankfully, away from the vehicle and not underneath it.”
The man hit his head as he fell but suffered only a minor injury to his shoulder.
Driving at his ex after stalking her for a month
In July 2025, Bishop began a campaign of stalking and harassment against an ex-girlfriend, following a relationship marked by what Mr Bates called “increasingly abusive and controlling behaviour, insults, and damaging her property”.
For weeks, the victim put up with Bishop driving past her house, following her in traffic, and a barrage of messages and voicemails, including one where he threatened to burn her house down.
Finally, in early August, the victim drove to Bishop’s home to confront him.
There, Bishop brandished a hammer and threatened to smash her windows, before getting behind the wheel of his van and deliberately reversing at her car, causing £1,000 in damage.
70mph chase
On May 28, 2026, Bishop was wanted when police recognised him driving in Parson Cross in a silver Peugeot van.
Officers began to follow, only for Bishop to immediately speed through a red light.
He led police on a chase reaching 70mph on residential streets and past primary schools, including flying the wrong way around roundabouts, crossing reservations and driving against oncoming traffic.
Officers had to give up the chase due to the risk to members of the public, only for Bishop to crash into a parked car.
Police later found the van was driven with false plates. Bishop was disqualified at the time.
Second chase
On July 2, 2026, officers once again spotted Bishop as he was behind the wheel of a Land Rover on Southey Lee Road and gave chase.
In his bid to get away, Bishop mounted pavements and at one point “narrowly missed” a pedestrian on a mobility scooter.
He was finally caught after crashing into a moving car, but at one point reversed into a police car while trying to escape.
Appalling record
Bishop pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous driving, criminal damage, driving without insurance, driving whilst disqualified, using false registration plates, and stalking involving fear of violence.
His defence barrister, Stuart Bell, said his client “accepts full responsibility for his crimes” and is “using his time in prison to think about his life,” including gaining qualifications.
Judge Thomas said: “You were frankly out of control.
“You have demonstrated you are dangerous behind the wheel of a motorcar.”
Bishop was jailed four four years and nine months, and banned from driving for six years.
He was also handed a restraining order not to contact his ex for five years.