A former Royal Marine has unexpectedly pleaded guilty to injuring 29 people, including two babies, after driving his car through crowds celebrating Liverpool Football Club's victory parade in May.
Shocking incident at football celebration
Paul Doyle, 54, changed his plea to guilty on what was supposed to be the first day of his four-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The incident occurred on 26th May when Doyle deliberately drove his Ford Titanium Galaxy into football fans after tailgating an ambulance down a road closed to non-emergency vehicles.
Disturbing footage captured the moment people were thrown into the air as Doyle's vehicle accelerated rapidly and erratically into the crowd. Witnesses reported that onlookers had attempted to remove him from the car moments before the collisions occurred.
Scale of injuries and initial charges
Merseyside Police confirmed that 134 people were injured in the incident, with more than 50 requiring hospital treatment. Among the victims were numerous children, with the youngest being two babies aged just six and seven months at the time.
The charges ultimately related to 29 people ranging in age from six months to 77 years old. Doyle had originally denied 31 offences, including:
- 17 counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm
- 9 counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent
His unexpected change of plea on Wednesday means he will now be sentenced at a later date.
Conflicting explanations emerge
Doyle, described by neighbours as a respectable family man and father-of-three, claimed he panicked and feared for his life when some crowd members attempted to stop his two-tonne vehicle after it initially struck fans.
However, prosecutors rejected this explanation, asserting that he lost his temper and drove in rage while attempting to break through the crowd. The violence was so shocking that many onlookers initially feared it was a terrorist attack.
Far-right agitator Tommy Robinson amplified these fears by telling his 1.7 million followers on X that this was a "suspected terrorist attack."
Despite initial suspicions of drug driving, tests confirmed Doyle was completely sober at the time of the incident. He had driven into Liverpool from his home in Croxteth, six miles away, to pick up his friend's family.
A senior official described the incident to the Guardian as "road rage – a moment of madness" in the hours following the shocking events that marred what should have been a day of celebration for Liverpool football fans.
