A man who used his car to deliberately drive into crowds at Liverpool FC’s title parade has been sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison.
Paul Doyle, 54, drove his car into more than 130 people in Liverpool city centre shortly before 6pm on 26 May. A court heard that Doyle acted in anger after “losing his temper” and drove at fans who were leaving the Premier League victory celebrations.
Liverpool Crown Court was told that Doyle, a former Royal Marine and father of three, was on his way to collect friends when he became enraged and turned his car into a weapon. Judge Andrew Menary said Doyle caused widespread fear and panic and showed a shocking disregard for human life.
Doyle admitted 31 criminal charges, including deliberately causing serious injuries, dangerous driving and violent disorder. His victims ranged in age from a six-month-old baby to a 77-year-old woman.
Dashcam footage from Doyle’s own vehicle showed fans being knocked onto the bonnet, thrown into the air or trapped underneath the car as he accelerated along Water Street, which had been closed to traffic. The court heard him shouting at people to move and swearing, even after hitting a 10-year-old girl.
The judge said Doyle repeatedly drove forwards and backwards at speed, striking people again and again over a short distance. Several victims were trapped under the vehicle as it continued moving, while others were crushed, knocked aside or sent flying across the road.
The attack only ended when a bystander managed to climb into the car and force it into park. In just two minutes, Doyle had injured more than 100 people.
After the attack, police bodycam footage captured Doyle saying: “My life’s ruined now.” During sentencing, the judge told him it was almost impossible to describe the devastation he caused, adding that his actions were driven by an intense and unexplained fury.
Victims spoke in court about the terror they experienced. One mother said she believed her baby son had died when his pram was hit and thrown into the air. A 12-year-old boy said he had never been so frightened in his life after being struck by a car he did not see coming. His mother described the horror of seeing her son lying motionless on the road.
Doyle later claimed he panicked because he thought someone nearby had a knife. However, police found no evidence to support this claim, and no weapons were seen on CCTV. Investigators also confirmed the car had no mechanical faults and Doyle was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Doyle, an IT engineer from Croxteth, Liverpool, changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial. The judge said his sentence reflected the seriousness of the attack and the fact that he could have admitted his guilt much earlier.
He showed no reaction as he was led away to begin his prison sentence.
