Liam Thomas previously worked at sea as a fisherman, served with the Royal Navy as a submariner before leaving to become a police detective. He is also a writer. In 2023 his first book, a memoir, was published by Penguin. The Buyer: The Making & Breaking Of An Undercover Detective ISBN: 9781529107685 His BFI supported short film, The Tide, written by him as a proof of concept, is a story of place, identity and mental health in a fishing community fighting to survive. The film collected 19 laurels and three outright awards globally, Best foreign film, best cinematography and best actor (Liam Thomas).